Someplace Good
by Parker19
Summary: Set in the dangerous Hollywood Hills, Olivia is a rising starlet, and Fitzgerald Grant will do anything to right the wrong he made years ago. Rated M for sexual content and language.
1. Konstantine

**Some of y'all might be really confused as to why** _ **Someplace Good**_ **was deleted and I sort of went underground for a couple of weeks. So I will explain myself, and promise to not do anything like this ever again. Hopefully you won't hate me so much for it.**

…

 **So, with my last chapter, I wrote in that Olivia didn't want children. It was shocking, but I was going to build from that, and unearth some of her deep insecurities with Fitz in the next couple of chapters. I had every intention of Olivia being a mother in the end, but I wanted it to be a journey she went through with Fitz.**

 **But anyways, after I posted that chapter, I received a string of vicious** _ **pm**_ **s and reviews (some anonymous) that were really disgusting in nature. In an attempt to delete the chapter and rewrite it, I accidentally deleted the entire story.**

 ***** Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that motherhood isn't for everybody, and I detest how society pushes some girls into motherhood, when they are not equipped for it or desiring a child. Becoming a mother should be your own choice, and no one should pressure you any differently. Motherhood can be a beautiful thing, and I want my characters to experience the ups and downs of parenthood, but I want them to experience it when they are both ready. I hope that makes sense. *****

 **My initial reaction was** "Fuck, fuck, fuck… Oh, well, it is probably better off. **" But then I got many lovely messages asking me what happened, so I decided to repost it. I have been working through my documents to repost it. I have made some changes, but mainly just tiny mistakes and removing author's notes (nothing changing the plot).**

 **ALSO, if you are one of the readers who said those things to me,** _ **please**_ **don't follow this story or contact me about this. Do some soul searching or something. Drink a glass of water. Olitz is back on track in Shondaland {for now}, and everything will be okay.**

 **I will mass upload these chapters to where I left off, then I will continue with new material at Chapter 20. Thank you to those of you who are putting up with this little hiccup. I promise I have a great rest of the story mapped out.**

Konsantine—Something Corporate

And you don't want to be here in the future  
So you say the present's just a pleasant  
Interruption to the past  
And you don't want to look much closer  
Because you're afraid to find out all this hope  
You had sent into the sky by now had crashed  
And it did  
Because of me

* * *

Fitz felt all of the air being sucked out of his lungs. He played football in high school, and had felt the driving force of a 200 pound man intent on knocking him to the grass—and succeeding at it—but that was nothing compared to what he felt in that moment. Of course, he had hoped that this moment would come. Not out loud, but in his mind, he had prayed that the universe would allow for him to be in the same room as _her_.

 _Her_ being Olivia Pope. Olivia Pope being the "It-Girl" of Hollywood at the moment. She had worked her way up the business in multiple small-budget yet critically acclaimed films. It wasn't until she landed the lead in Ava DuVernay's blockbuster hit that she became a household name. She won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Leading Role, which put her as a front runner for the Academy Award. Everybody wanted a piece of her.

He watched her from across the crowded garden. They were at a charity brunch and art auction benefiting autistic children being held at the sprawling mansion of Cyrus Beene, an established producer who "ran Tinsletown". The who's who of Hollywood were rubbing elbows. A small band performed, playing soft renditions of Etta James and Frank Sinatra in the background. The unusually warm February day allowed for the guests to spill out to the impressive back yard.

Fitz let his eyes shamelessly wander all over Olivia's body. She wore a lavender maxi dress that hugged her tiny waist and flowed freely down to a pair of wedges adding at least four inches to her petite frame. Her hair was pressed straight with the strands framing her face pulled back in a barrette.

"Babe, you're staring."

Mellie's low, cautious voice pulled him from his day dream as he turned to his date. She looped her arm through his as if to pull his attention back to her, and handed him a glass of bourbon. Mellie was pretty, but he never necessarily thought of her as beautiful. She and Fitz both grew up together in Hollywood as the children of a celebrities. They watched out for each other growing up in the cold-blooded business. Mellie acted in a few romantic comedies in her twenties, but became bored with acting. Now, she just made her living by various investments, a stint on _Dancing with the Stars_ , and some endorsement deals. She was considering taking the producer route in the television realm, but she wasn't pressed for a paycheck or opportunities at the moment. Fitz thought of her as his best friend. She was brilliant. She knew everything about the business and was always brutally honest with him.

They had a sort of agreement that they would be each other's date to events until they found someone better. There was nothing worse than awards season with no date. Being more of a behind-the-scenes pairing, the tabloids simply weren't interested in them, so they never really had to explain themselves or worry about optics. Fitz was a director with a couple nominations under his belt, but nothing astounding. He was well known and respected in the industry, but he was rarely stopped on the street for a picture or autograph.

"Do you really think that is a good idea?" Mellie followed his gaze to Olivia chatting animatedly with a friend. "I mean, considering…"

"Do I think _what_ is good idea?" Fitz challenged, feigning ignorance and pulling a sizable amount of bourbon between his lips.

"Don't play stupid. It isn't attractive."

Fitz put his hand on the small of Mellie's back, guiding her in the opposite direction from Olivia. "I am not thinking of it at all. End of story."

/

Olivia could feel his presence. Even though they were separated by an expansive lawn and at least a hundred other guests, she could feel him. It was an unwavering, annoying tug at her gut.

"Dear, God," Abbey, her red head, spit-fire friend gasped. Abbey and Olivia had just met on set of a film they were shooting together. They immediately took to being close friends. Olivia didn't have many intimate friends in the business, so it was refreshing to have someone like Abbey who was so open and candid.

"What?"

"Fitzgerald Grant is staring at you. I wish there was a word stronger than staring. It is almost rude. Look!"

"I'm not going to _look_." Olivia shot back. "That is only going to make it awkward."

"He's clearly smitten. Have you met him before?"

"No." Olivia answered, almost too quickly.

"Well, I can introduce you to him. I met him at party last year. He's really charming. Having Fitzgerald Grant the III throwing googly eyes at you isn't the worst thing in the world—"

"No, thanks. Come on. I just saw Harrison Wright over there. I want to say hey to him before I leave."

"Why are you leaving? The auction hasn't even started yet."

"I wasn't planning on staying for long to begin with. I've been feeling funny all day. I just wanted to show my face, and write a check to the charity." The truth was Olivia didn't want to stand another minute where facing Fitz face to face was possible. "Plus, I have to be on set tomorrow morning, and I need my rest."

"Whatever then. I have tomorrow morning off, but I'll be there after lunch to shoot that scene on the balcony. See you then."

"Bye."

Olivia made her way to the front of the house. She said hello to some of the people she knew, not wanting to be rude. It took her much longer than she expected to finally reach her car. When she finally found her sleek black Audi, she slipped behind the wheel. Olivia turned the key in the ignition, and tried to let the purr of the engine calm her nerves. There was nobody walking around the area where the cars were parked. She was nonetheless thankful for the tinted windows hiding her in case someone did try wander out to the lot.

Olivia bowed her head to the steering wheel, desperately trying not to do the one thing she had held out for so long: cry. As she focused on steadying her ragged breaths, she chided herself for letting him get the best of her. She didn't even see him for Christ's sake. Just one mention of his name, and he had her borderline sobbing in her parked car.

She had worked for so long and hard. She put all of her energy into her work, which of course paid off. She all but forgot he even existed, pushing him completely out of her consciousness. All of that effort could be thrown down the drain. He still had a stake on her.

God, she hated him. She wanted to punch him squarely in the jaw and make him hurt the way he hurt her. She wanted to wave a magical wand and disappear him from the face of the earth, erasing every interaction they had ever had.

She realized how ridiculous she was being, and dabbed the tears from her eyes. With a deep, settling breath and a shaky hand to the gear shift, she put her car in reverse.

 _TAP. TAP. TAP._

Olivia jumped. She turned to see a figure standing right outside of her car window. A figure she would recognize anywhere. _You knew this day would come, Olivia._ She couldn't just drive off. That would be the most childish thing she could do. He would probably even benefit from it in some twisted, egotistical way.

 _Time to be Olivia Pope. No more 'Livvie' to him. We both know that things shatter when I am just 'Livvie'._

Olivia rolled her window down completely, waning whatever wall of defense she thought she held.

"Hi."

"Hi."


	2. The Worst

The Worst—Jhené Aiko

So why would you show up  
So uninvited then  
Just change my mind like that  
Please don't take this personal  
But you ain't shit  
And you weren't special  
Til I made you so  
You better act like you know  
That I been through worse than you  
I just can't keep runnin' away

* * *

 **4 YEARS AGO**

Olivia sat erect in the metal, foldable chair. When she studied at Julliard, they taught her to exude confidence from the second she walked in the door. Make the other girls think that you _know_ you have it in the bag. The air conditioner was on hyper mode, making the room almost unbearably cold. Fifteen other girls sat around her nervously flipping through their scripts. They had all made it through the first round of auditions with the casting director. Today, they would audition before the director, producer, and male lead.

Olivia was 22, fresh out of college. Acting was her life. She performed in theater companies in Boston all through her high school years. She worked her ass off to be accepted into Julliard. Now it was time to prove that she had what it took to actually make a living as an actress on the other side of the country.

This was her first audition process for a movie role. It was for Fitzgerald Grant's film. She had done her research on him. Anyone who had met him, called him Fitz. Wikipedia told her that he was the son of "Big Gerry" Grant who was a big shot director in the 90s. Big Gerry had multiple sordid affairs with actresses and even a few prostitutes. He died of a heart attack almost a year ago.

Fitz's record, however, was squeaky clean. It was obvious that he used his connections to get him where he is at such a young age, but he still had talent. Hollywood Reporter named him "the filmmaker to keep an eye on." His debut film won an award at the Sundance Film Festival, and this one would prove that he wasn't a one-shot wonder.

A lanky assistant appeared in the door frame. "Which one of you wants to go first?"

"I do." Olivia shot up confidently, not giving any of the other girls a chance to speak up.

"Alright. Come with me." She followed him into the adjacent room.

/

"Cyrus, I don't care what Hollis Doyle wants to do with the film. This is _my film_. I'm the creative director. At the end of the day, my name is on the credits, and I don't want it to follow a piece of shit. He can get on board it, or he can kiss my ass. We don't need him."

"Like hell we do!" Cyrus shot back, raising his voice. "If we don't have one major financer pulling in the figure that Hollis can offer, you can kiss your beloved film goodbye. I'm sorry, princess, but that is how the real world works here. You don't have your father here to wipe your tears and write a check—"

"DON'T bring my father into this."

"I'm sorry, but this is the reality of the situation. You can't make a movie without money. You are young, handsome, with a nice head of hair filled with big, idealistic dreams, but you need to pay your dues and stay in line. Put up with Hollis's demands and play nice."

Fitz rolled his eyes and called for the assistant to bring the first girl in, effectively ending the discussion. The first girl walked in and placed her headshot and resume in front of him. She extended her hand, and Fitz looked up into the prettiest eyes he had ever seen.

"Hi. I'm Olivia Pope."

He took her hand, holding it for probably what was longer than socially acceptable. He couldn't help it. He had seen thousands of attractive girls vying for his attention and approval, but she was different. She had an air of confidence that seemed genuine. She was dressed in a plain, white, V-neck t-shirt with a pair of dark wash jeans that fit her body like a glove. It was refreshing, considering most girls came in trying to dress in character and usually missing the point. She wasn't physically fit for the role, she was too short and the script was written for a white woman, but there was _something_ about her that made him want to give her a chance.

"Hello, Miss Pope. I am Fitz Grant. The director. This is Cyrus Beene, the producer. That handsome man over there is Tom. He will read your lines to you."

Olivia shook Cyrus's hand and Tom's hand. Fitz glanced at her resume, raising an impressed eyebrow at her Julliard credential.

"Please, begin when you are ready."

Olivia poured her heart out into the audition. Her timing and technique was impeccable. When she finished, she thanked them for their time and exited.

"Wow." Fitz muttered to Cyrus. "I don't want to see any more. She is what I've been looking for. She is perfect for the role."

Cyrus didn't say anything and just flipped through the script in front of him.

"What. Didn't you like her?"

"Fitz, I thought she did a great job, but physically, it is a deal breaker. I don't know how they let her get this far. Especially considering the character is described as 'statuesque, with a mane of golden hair and porcelain skin.'" Cyrus pointed to the script where it physically described the female character.

"Come on, Cy. We can rewrite the character. It is my script anyways. Her skin color and height don't affect the plot to begin with."

"I still don't think that she is the best option. You haven't even seen the other girls."

"Tom, what did you think of her?"

"I thought she was great. She is obviously talented. I think she would be the perfect choice."

Cyrus leaned back in his chair and tiredly rubbed his eyes. "At least give the other girls a chance. At the end of the day, if you still want her, OK, but at least see the others first."

"Fine. Bring in the next one."

All of the other actresses auditioned before him. Some of them were decent, but none of them were Olivia. In fact, all of them just seemed annoying in comparison. He just wanted them to get their parts over as soon as possible. He would almost groan every time one of them took a dramatic pause. Fitz kept Olivia's headshot on the table face up. Occasionally, he would drum his finger lightly across her cheekbones, wondering what it would be like to kiss her skin. He let his mind drift into a haze as he fantasized doing the simplest things to her. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Tracing patterns on the plane of her shoulder blades. Feeding her breakfast. Imagining her plump lips wrap around a strawberry made his pants uncomfortably tight. Fitz tried to push any other thoughts out of his head and focus on the girl in front of him.

"Thank you. That is enough. We'll be in touch with you to let you know." Fitz waited for the actress to be ushered out. "I am standing by Olivia Pope. I will run it by the studio and the other producers tomorrow."

/

 **PRESENT DAY**

"What do you want?" Olivia kept her tone icy. She wanted him to know exactly how much she hated him. She remained seated in her car with him awkwardly standing outside.

"I just want to talk to you." He placed a hand on the window sill of her car, almost as if to stop her from rolling the window up and driving off. His brow was crinkled and his eyes were as sad as a grave. Olivia refused to look at him. She trained her eyes to the top of her steering wheel.

"I don't know what you would want to talk about. I have nothing to say to you. I have nothing—" Olivia's lip quivered like it did when she was fighting for control over her emotions.

"Olivia…" Fitz couldn't stand to see her hurt so bad. Half of him expected her to be over it and show indifference. Half of him expected her to openly forgive him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. But how could she? After he treated her like a piece of trash. He deserved every bit of scorn. "Look at me. Please. Let me explain."

Olivia kept her eyes glaring ahead. She knew that the second she would look at him, whatever defense wall she had would immediately crack.

Fitz leaned down to where he was eye level with her, "Livvie—"

"Don't call me that." Olivia whispered. "We both know that I am not your Livvie."

"I'm sorry. This was a bad idea. I just thought that—forget it. Never mind. Just know that I am sorry. If I could go back and change everything that went down, I would. I would have sat down with you and talked everything out. I would have been there for you. I never wanted to hurt you like I did." Fitz took a deep breath. "I don't expect you to forgive me. I just wanted to see you again. Which is selfish of me, but I also wanted to tell you congratulations…on all of your success. I am really glad that your career is turning out the way it is."

Fitz had never felt so foolish in his entire life. He looked up to see a couple making their way to a car nearby. His just awkwardly nodded and started to retreat back towards the party.

"Wait." Her voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned around just to make sure he didn't imagine it. He met her eyes in her side rear view mirror. "Get in the car."

Fitz walked back towards her running car, not quite believing what was going on. She was giving him a chance. He sat in the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt. Olivia kept her eyes on the mirrors as she pulled out and drove towards the driveway. Fitz didn't say anything, and neither did she. He was content just to drink in her presence. He went over every feature with his eyes, noticing what had stayed the same and what changed. Her face seemed thinner, like she had shed some baby weight in the four years. He hoped that was the case, instead of stress or whatever other negative things being an actress in Los Angeles could bring. Her lips, however, remained the exact same.

Olivia turned onto a side road that led past the house and garden to the rest of the land that Cyrus owned. On his property, there was a miniature apple orchard, a stable full of thoroughbreds, a pasture for the horses to graze in, a winding stream, and a couple of acres of trees. Olivia pulled her car off of the road to where the orchard started. She got out of the car and walked into the trees without saying a word. He knew where she was going. It was all he could do to keep up with her fast pace.

They finally entered a clearing that the stream led through. Olivia abruptly stopped and Fitz almost bumped into her. There was not enough room between them, and Olivia could feel his close proximity slowly casting a spell on her. Fitz didn't want to step back, even though he knew it was probably the safe thing to do.

Finally, Olivia turned around. They faced each other with salty eyes, truly making eye contact for the first time. Olivia's chest as heaving up and down with anger and something else. She couldn't find any words, so she just wound up her arm and with a swift motion, cracked him across the face. His head snapped back from the impact, but he didn't respond. Olivia sent her other fist towards his jaw. This time he reached out and grabbed her wrists. She still struggled against him, her anger just boiling into rage.

Fitz held her hands to his chest, pulling her closer to him.

"Stop it, Olivia," he whispered, "Just stop."

The next thing she did, took Fitz by the biggest surprise. Her perfect, plump lips came crashing into his. Soft and familiar, just like he remembered but salty from her tears. She bit down roughly on his lip, causing him to wince in pain, before soothing the hurt skin with her tongue. When he overcame his surprise, he dropped her wrist and circled his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Her hands went to his curls, like she knew it would drive him insane. He backed them up against a tree, and ran his hands up and down the sides of her figure, trying to rememorize it. They hungrily devoured each other's lips, until oxygen became a necessity.

Fitz pulled back to breathe. Olivia just panted with her eyes closed, mouth slightly parted. Her cheeks were wet from a new set of tears. Fitz softly kissed her tear tracts. She was overwhelming his senses. He couldn't think straight. Consequences were the last thing on his mind as he absorbed as much as her as he could. He kissed his way to her neck, and her sensitive spot right behind her ear.

Olivia moaned, squeezing her fistfuls of his hair and bringing his face back to hers. Fitz started to lift the material of her maxi dress. When he had bunched the dress up to her mid thighs, he slipped his hand underneath the fabric and groped her ass cheeks, bare from the thong she was wearing, and pulled her into his painfully hard erection.

"Fitz!" She gasped pushing him away with all of her weight.

As if on cue, Fitz phone started to ring. "What." He muttered into the phone. "Yeah, okay. I'll be there in a couple minutes. Whatever. Sorry." He hung up and turned back to Olivia. "Sorry, but its Mellie. I have to…"

"Oh, of course. I'll drive you back." They silently made their way to her car. She dropped him off at the front of the house, and then drove straight home.

 **4 YEARS AGO**

Fitz had a league of disgruntled producers on his hands. None of them were excited about his choice of lead actress, but he didn't care. At the end of the day, it was his film. They could suck it and find a new job if they didn't like it.

He pulled out Olivia's cover photo and resume, dialing the number at the top of it. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Olivia Pope."

"Hey! This is Fitz Grant, the uh, director of—"

"I know who you are." She tried to stifle her giggle.

"Yes, well, I was wondering if you would want to have dinner with me. Tonight."

Olivia almost dropped the phone, she was so surprised. "Yes, I would love to."

"Great! How about I pick you up at seven."

"That works."

"I'll see you then, Liv."

The line went dead.

 _Liv_? Olivia had never been called by anything other than Olivia. Nicknames made her uncomfortable, but when he said it… It warmed something inside of her. She poured herself a glass of red wine and sat down on the floor of her tiny studio apartment. She had not had any time to really furnish the place, but she had a bed, a kitchenette, a closet, and a view of the city that took her breath away every time. It was enough for the time being.

She took a sip, savoring the dark liquid on her tongue, and let her mind go to work. He wouldn't be calling if she wasn't still in the running for the part. But doesn't the process take weeks? Or at least longer than twenty four hours? She didn't hold any star power or name recognition so they couldn't have possibly already decided on her. What was the dynamic between them going to be that night? What were Fitz's intentions? Was this a business dinner? He didn't sound like it was over the phone, but she couldn't assume anything.

Whatever was going on, she would find out tonight. She walked over to her closet to pick out what to wear. She decided to treat herself to go shopping for a new dress since this seemed like the make-or-break of her career. It was all about optics. She had to appear like she didn't even need the job. Confidence was key.

At 6:50 she was putting the final touches on her makeup. She went for a smokier eye than what she was used to and settled on a nude lip color. The doorbell buzzed so she let him in. Rushing to get her shoes on and her clutch, she did one final once-over in her full length mirror. Her one-shoulder white dress accentuated her fit with a 1950s styled silhouette that was still sexy enough.

 _*KNOCK KNOCK*_

"Just a minute!" She spritzed her wrists with Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and went to answer the door.

When she opened the door, she was taken aback by how sexy he looked. At the audition she was so nervous and focused on her script, that she didn't even look at him properly. But _damn_. He was wearing a dark, tailored suit with the top couple of buttons of his shirt unbuttoned. His curly hair was neatly combed, but still looked relaxed enough. His eyes were blue enough to get lost in for hours. Not to mention, he was tall.

"Hi, Liv."

"Hi. You are early."

"Yeah, traffic was really light. You look beautiful."

"Thank-you." She blushed. She turned to shut her apartment light off and then followed Fitz to the elevator.

"Have you ever been to the restaurant Mélisse?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't been really anywhere. I have only lived here for about two weeks."

Fitz raised his eyebrow, "No way. I guess I'll have to properly introduce you to the city."

"I would like that."

They made comfortable small talk all the way to the restaurant. She was surprised at how down to earth and easy going he was. One look at his Wikipedia page, and she would have thought that he was the stereotypical industry brat with not one ounce of reality. He entertained her with stories of all of the bizarre things he witnessed growing up in Hollywood.

When they reached Mélisse, the maître d led them past where the other patrons were eating to a secluded corner. Olivia worked as a waitress at a fine dining restaurant in college, and she knew this was type of table meant for romantic couples.

Fitz pulled her chair out for her to sit in, then sat down across from her. He ordered the wine for them which, to Olivia's surprise, was one of her favorite bottles.

"How did you know that is my all-time favorite wine?"

"You are too young to have an _all-time favorite wine_."

"Hey, now. I'm twenty-two."

"Exactly. You have to be at least twenty five to form an educated opinion on wine." Fitz joked.

"Well, I had my first sip of wine when I was sixteen, so I'm practically twenty seven in wine years."

"It doesn't work like that. Come back in three years and let me know if this is still your favorite."

"Will do."

They just sat there in silence, smiling at each other. The waiter came back with the wine and they placed their orders.

"Fitz, is this a professional date or a personal date?" Olivia took a sip of her wine, a small moan almost escaped her lips.

"What do you want it to be?" His voice dropped an octave, taking them both by surprise.

Olivia bit her bottom lip, effectively turning Fitz on, and leaned forward. "So I guess that questions regarding my status in the auditions for your little film have to wait until later?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Fitz smiled casually, dramatically reeling her in. "You got the part."

Fitz burst into laughter as the seductive look on her face immediately fell into a face of shock.

"If you are kidding, I will never forgive you."

"I'm serious. I swear. It is my call after all."

Olivia's face broke into one of the biggest, most brilliant smiles he had ever seen. Fitz reached his hand across the table and took hers in his. His thumb traced circles across the back of her hand.

"I look forward to working with you, Livvie."

 _Livvie._ Another nickname that Olivia suddenly didn't mind.


	3. Vindicated

Vindicated—Dashboard Confessional

Hope dangles on a string like slow spinning redemption  
Winding in and winding out, the shine of it has caught my eye  
And roped me in, so mesmerizing and so hypnotizing  
I am captivated, I am

Vindicated, I am selfish, I am wrong, I am right  
I swear I'm right, swear I knew it all along  
And I am flawed but I am cleaning up so well  
I am seeing in me now the things you swore, you saw yourself

* * *

 **PRESENT DAY**

"What the hell where you thinking, Fitz?" Mellie turned in her seat to where she was facing Fitz, extending her seat belt to an unsafe position.

"Sit back, Mellie. I won't be responsible for your untimely death if you go flying out of the window."

Mellie huffed as she sat back in her seat. "Why would you even go back to that place? What is your endgame?"

"Mellie…" Fitz warned. His voice dared her to keep up the topic. His eyes were steely grey and set on the interstate before him. He held a white knuckled grip of the steering wheel.

"You still love her, don't you?" Her voice was not accusatory. Mellie was trying to figure out how after four years emptying scotch bottles in one sitting and walking around with a dead glint in his eyes, Fitz would run back to the vulnerable place that ruined him to begin with. And just when he was getting back to his old self.

"Drop it." The last thing he needed was Mellie on his case when he didn't know what was going on himself.

"Fine. I'll drop it. But let me just say this. Think about what you are getting yourself into. I like Liv. I think you two are dynamic together. When you were with her, you were the happiest I had ever seen you in your entire life. It's just that the fallout is catastrophic. Do you really want to go through that again? If you think it is worth it, I will support you two. Even if you fall apart again, you know I will still be here for you. You are a grown man. Make your own decisions. Just think about the consequences."

Fitz nodded and eased up a little bit, realizing her was holding the steering wheel in a death grip. Olivia had given him something he never thought he would ever have—hope. He knew now how bad he hurt her. That much cut his gut and made him want to disappear and never cause any more harm to her beautiful life, but she had given him _hope_. She gave him an unspoken chance tonight between her hungry kisses. There was a tiny crack in the Berlin Wall that he had forced her to build, and now it was his time to earn her back. All because now he knew for a fact that he could not survive let alone truly _live_ without her.

He drove Mellie home in comfortable silence, and apologized for abandoning her earlier when he dropped her off.

 **4 YEARS AGO**

Olivia hummed mindlessly to a song off of her CD that she kept in her car. She was on her way to Cyrus Beene's house for the first time. She was nervous, because today she would meet the rest of the cast and crew. Actual shooting wouldn't start for four more months, but pre-production was already in action, and the final decisions to go forward with the film had been set in place.

Olivia rolled her window down, and let the wind blow through her hair. She was sure that she had never been so genuinely happy in her entire life. As cliché as it sounded—her dreams were coming true. She was finding her niche in life, and it seemed like the years upon years of hard work was finally paying off.

She thought about the other night, when Fitz had taken her to dinner. He had put his hand on the small of her back, walking out of the restaurant. When he walked her up to her apartment, he rested his hand on her waist as he kissed her cheek goodnight. She thought about his warm breath against her skin when his lips lingered for a split second, as if they were debating to stay. She thought about his playful smirk, when he teased her over wine. The way he ran his fingers through his curly hair made her want to do the same. The way his voice changed when he said _Livvie._

Her GPS instructed her to turn off of the road onto a driveway lined with trees. She pulled up to a giant gate, and spoke her name into the intercom. As she drove down the driveway, she couldn't help but think _holy shit_. Who lives like this?

She pulled her car around the large circular driveway, and parked it. She rang the doorbell of the mansion to have Fitz himself answer it. He was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans and a crisp white button down shirt. His face immediately lit up when saw her.

"You look beautiful." He kissed her cheek and pulled her in for a friendly hug.

"I would have changed, if I knew you were going to steal my look." Olivia joked, noting that she was wearing a simple white sundress with pink flowers at the hem. They matched, coincidentally.

"Hey, now. I was here first." Fitz winked, "Come on in. I'll introduce you to everyone." Fitz led her to a gigantic parlor area, where about twenty five people were gathered. She made her rounds, introducing herself to everyone. She was having a great time getting to know her new co-workers. They all had a great sense of humor and were very welcoming. She noticed Cyrus coming down the stairs.

"Cyrus!"

"Olivia. Nice to see you again." Cyrus gave her halfhearted hug.

"You have an incredible home. I have never seen anything like it. It is incredible."

"Thanks." He nodded, almost curtly "Enjoy yourself."

He caught Fitz's eye and motioned for him to come over to his corner. Olivia took it as her cue to turn back to the group of people she was mingling with before. She couldn't help but overhear every word of their conversation.

"Hollis is going to stop by later. It would make my heart leap with joy if you actually put forth an effort with him. Especially after the big pile of—" Cyrus started.

"I got it." Fitz shot back tersely. Cyrus nodded cautiously, then turned and walked away. Fitz made awkward eye contact with Olivia. He walked over to her with his hands in his pockets.

"I'm an awful co-host. Can I get you anything to drink?" Fitz asked.

Olivia looked around to the guests who were all nursing glasses. "Yes, please." She started to walk towards where an open bar was set up, but Fitz smiled mischievously and gently pulled her away from the crowd.

"Where are you taking me?" Olivia gladly followed. She would follow him anywhere as long as his hand remained wrapped around her arm

"Cyrus's wine cellar. I'll show you your new _all-time favorite_ wine."

He took her through some rooms until they reached a tiny, winding staircase that led down. Fitz helped her down like a gentleman and flipped the light switch for the cellar. Olivia let out a low whistle as she saw the impressive wine collection.

"Are you sure you are allowed to be in here?"

"Relax," Fitz chuckled, "I've been breaking into here since I was a troublesome teenage boy."

"For some reason, that is really easy to imagine." She climbed up onto a stool

Fitz scanned the racks and pulled out a bottle. He grabbed some glasses from a cabinet and poured two glasses for him and Olivia.

"Drink." Fitz ordered playfully. Olivia craned her head to see the label on the bottle, but Fitz hid it behind his back. "Just drink."

Olivia took a slow sip, savoring the exquisite taste. It danced on her tongue like nothing she had ever tasted before. She moaned softly. "Wow."

"Yeah." Fitz grinned at her reaction as he sampled his glass.

"Is this your favorite?"

"One of them."

They drank the wine slowly, silently enjoying it together. Finally Olivia broke the silence.

"Aren't you going to tell me what it is?"

"Isn't the mystery of it appealing?" Fitz said in a slightly seductive voice.

"Maybe." Olivia's eyes darkened as she finished off the remaining wine. "Come here."

Fitz closed the distance between them. Olivia slightly parted her legs, allowing him to stand in between them. She set her glass on the counter behind her and put her hands on his hips, pulling him dangerously close to her. The friction of his jeans on her thigh made her panties wet.

One of her hands went up to graze where his hairline met the back of his neck. She leaned her head back and slightly parted her lips, inviting him to meet her lips. When his lips were a mere centimeters away, and she could feel his breath heavily against hers, she slipped her hand to the bottle he still held behind his back.

"Fitz, this is a $300 bottle of wine."

"Yeah. I know." Fitz said, smiling at her antics, but not retreating. He wanted to savor every moment spent this close to her. "I wanted to share it with someone special."

His last two words made her eyes snap back to his. He took the bottle from her and set in on the counter along with his glass. He took her hands and placed them back on his hips, never breaking eye contact. He took her chin tenderly in his hand and lifted it back up.

Olivia closed her eyes. She felt his other hand circle around the nape of her neck and then the soft pressure of his lips against hers. She let him control the pace of the kiss, keeping it slow. She had never been kissed like this before. It was like he was truly worshiping every centimeter of her lips. He slipped his tongue in between her lips, gently requesting access. His tongue tasted like the wine, driving her insane in the best way possible.

Olivia let one hand rise up his torso to run through his hair. His hand slid down to her back and then further to her ass. Her body felt amazing beneath his touch. She arched her body into him when he palmed her ass lightly. He was sure that she could feel his hardness through his jeans, pressed against her thigh. Their kiss was starting to lose control. When Olivia took his bottom lip in her teeth, he knew he had to stop, or else he would take her right there in the wine cellar.

"Livvie." Fitz breathed as he broke the kiss. They kept their foreheads together and tried to regulate their breathing and erratic heartbeats. It was impossible though. There was an undeniable connection in that kiss that they both felt.

"We should be getting back. People will start to wonder." Olivia made no move to get out of his arms, her words contradicting her heart.

"No." Fitz knew what was waiting him back at the party. Or more like _who_. "Let's ditch the crowd. Let me show you the whole estate." He gave her a sweet peck on the lips to drive home the proposition.

"Okay." Olivia admitted that the last thing she wanted to do was go back to the crowded parlor after the kiss they just shared. "But let's bring the wine with us."

 **PRESENT DAY**

Olivia twirled carefully and regarded critically herself in the mirror.

"I. Love. It."

Elle Reynolds smiled triumphantly and clapped his hand excitedly.

"I knew you would. It very modern-carefree-take-on-a-Disney-princess-ish. It suits you." She motioned for his assistants to come and take some measurements.

Olivia ran her fingers over the light weight fabric, pulling the fabric away from her and watching it fall back into perfect place. She was standing in a couture evening gown designed by one of her favorite, yet still relatively unknown, designer. She had received offers from everyone from Dior to Prada, but when she saw the sketch that Elle sent to her, she immediately fell in love.

She almost pinched herself to see if she was dreaming, but no. This was the dress she would wear to her first Academy Awards Ceremony. The ceremony she happened to be nominated for best actress at. The dress was layer on layer of soft, peach colored chiffon that flowed with a decent train. The fabric was dreamily swept over her chest with off the shoulder sleeves and a dipping cut in the back that revealed a large portion of her back, while still keeping it elegant. The best part, was that the dress was comfortable. She could actually breathe, while still showing her figure off.

She made eye contact with herself in the 360 degree mirror and tried to wipe the cheesy smile from her face. She felt a whole new level of beautiful.

"What is next?" She asked giving it another girlish twirl for good measure.

"Jewelry." Elle brought out a couple of black brief cases with options sent from Tiffany's & Co. They decided on an elegant but edgy ear cuff with pearls and diamonds placed wistfully on a gold band. The necklace she brought forth made her jaw drop to the floor. They decided on rings and a simple gold chain bracelet. Finally, Olivia stepped into the heels she had chosen for the evening. She stepped from the little pedestal she was on and started to walk around the fitting room. The fabric swooshed around her feet, making it look like she was floating.

"You are a genius. I can already hear the praises of the fashion police the morning after."

"The train is going to look dreamy when you walk up the steps to accept your award." Elle gushed, snapping a Polaroid picture and waving it, waiting for it to develop.

"Don't jinx anything. At the end of the day, I still can't believe I was nominated."

Elle rolled her eyes at Olivia's modesty. "Have you gotten a date yet? He is going to want to dress to you. I think a white dinner jacket would complete this. Or a simple black tux, you can never go wrong with that. It would be adorable if you could get him to accent something to this color like cufflinks or a pocket square."

Olivia let the assistants take her jewelry off and pulled the scrunchie out of her hair that held her hair in a mock updo. "No, I haven't thought that far ahead." She fibbed.

"Girl, the event is a month away! Not that any man wouldn't drop his life just to escort you to this thing." Elle helped her out of the dress and handed her a silk robe to put on for the time being.

"I know, I know. I should probably stop procrastinating that part."

She went over the options in her head. Her father was definitely out of the question. They had a strained relationship ever since she got her acceptance letter from Julliard. He couldn't stand the thought of her not going to his alma mater, Harvard, and getting a law degree. When she graduated from college, he expected her to quit her little "hobby" and go to a "real school" as if Julliard was not an honor. Olivia had given up on trying to make him proud of her, leaving only brief, polite phone calls on Christmas and Easter. She moved down her list. Most of her industry friends were already going to be there.

Now that she thought of it, she didn't really have any close friends. Ever since moving to L.A., she had tunnel-visioned through her work landing role after role and leaving little room for any personal life. This would probably be the highlight of her career and life, so she wanted to share it with someone special. _Someone special_. The words pricked her like the tip of a needle.

" _Fitz, this is a $300 bottle of wine."_

" _Yeah, I know. I wanted to share it with someone special."_

She let out a bitter laugh.

"What was that?" Elle brought her back from her mini day dream.

"Sorry, I was just talking to myself." Olivia shed her robe and started to change into the clothes she came in. They worked out details of the alterations and Olivia left. She was so giddy about finally choosing her gown, but the sinking feeling of knowing that she had do find a date set a foul taste to her mood. She pulled her car into the parking lot of a Whole Foods to do some grocery shopping.

As she shopped for fresh produce, she let her mind entertain the idea of asking Fitz to escort her. For the first time, she let herself think about what went down in Cyrus's apple orchard. As petty as it sounded, physically slapping him was an effective way to release all of the anger she had let simmer over all those years. The frightening part was once she had taken all of her hurt and rage out on him, an emotion she was not prepared for overcame her—desire. She spent so long demonizing him in her mind and making him into an unforgivable monster that she forgot about the palpable connection they shared. She forgot about the simple familiarity of his scent and the security he brought to her. It had been so long since she had felt the burning intensity that a mere look from him ignited in her core.

She felt so childish. Just being with him for fifteen minutes made her want to completely take back all of the time and energy she spent despising him. He had just that much of an impact on her. She wasn't sure if she should run back into his arms and—attempt—to pick up where things fell apart, or if she could stay strong in herself and stay away from him for her own health.

She dropped some apples into her cart and made her way to the checkout. As the cashier rang up her groceries, the magazine rack caught her attention.

PEOPLE MAGAZINE

 _Our countdown to the Academy Awards and the best dressed competition!_

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

 _The race to the Oscars ensues! Our predictions on who will take home the little gold man!_

Each magazine had a small picture of her on the side margin. The fame was something she would never get used to. Luckily the cashier did not recognize her, and she could pay in peace. Not that her fans were not incredibly flattering, but she knew that for every genuine fan, there was a malicious one. Especially with the internet having such a prominent role in how celebrities were perceived. Wisely keeping her personal life personal and letting her work speak for her had saved her from much of the brutal media.

Olivia thanked the worker and went to load her bags into her car.


	4. Lost And Found

Lost and Found—Lianne La Havas

Come upstairs and I'll show you where all my  
Where my demons hide from you  
Just look at who I have become I am so ashamed  
You were the one that made me feel the way I do

You broke me and taught me  
to truly hate myself  
unfold me and teach me how to be  
like somebody else

* * *

 **4 YEARS AGO**

Fitz and Olivia had ditched the party to explore Cyrus's estate. They spent most of the time playfully feeding each other apples from the ripe trees in the orchard. Kissing as often as possible, and acting like a couple of love struck fools. They left without saying goodbye to anyone and went to Fitz's city apartment to watch _The Philadelphia Story_ after entering a heated debate on whether Katharine Hepburn should have ended up with James Stewart or Cary Grant.

It was now Monday, and Olivia had not seen Fitz since Wednesday. She showed up a couple minutes early to the initial script reading to try to catch Fitz in his office. As she neared his office door, she could hear yelling behind it. The tone in his voice frightened her. She had never heard that level of anger in his voice.

It was all perfect, but now there was someone in there hurting Fitz, and she wanted to run in there and protect him. An instinct she didn't even know she had was coming out. Crazy, considering she barely knew this man, but she could feel herself falling for him. She wanted to be there for him. Olivia strained her ears to hear what was being said behind the thin walls. There was a man in there with him with a thick Southern accent.

"Fitz, you gotta learn the art of business…Not gonna work!…Get your head out of your …"

"Hollis Doyle let me remind you that this is _MY_ film…If you want to manipulate a director…this town is full of them, but I am not… Either get on board, or GET OUT."

Olivia felt ashamed for eavesdropping, so she quickly ran around the corner. His office door opened then slammed. A tall man with blonde, slicked back hair rounded the corner. He saw Olivia, and immediately plastered a fake grin on his face.

"Why hello, Darling. You must be Olivia. I'm Hollis Doyle. I am one of the financers of this little project here."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Doyle." She gave him her hand cautiously. She didn't like the vibe he was sending her. His accent was slick and untrustworthy. "If you excuse me, I have to go." She quickly walked away, not wanting to spend one more second with him.

"Looking forward to working with you, sweetheart." He called over his shoulder as he continued on his way. The way he said _sweetheart_ made Olivia want to take a shower. She knocked softy on Fitz's door, hoping he was in the mood to see her.

"Come in."

Olivia entered his office and closed the door behind her. He was leaning against his desk, pouring a scotch. "Hi, Liv."

"What are you doing? It is 8:45 in the morning." Olivia walked over to him and placed a soothing hand on his shoulder, rubbing it softly.

"Rough morning." Fitz huffed.

"I don't think you should drink. We have to run through the script today." Fitz ignored her and took a sip. "Fitz," Olivia said sternly. She drew a hand to his face and pulled his face to look at her. "Please, don't."

Fitz sighed and set the drink down on the table. "Sorry."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay." Olivia left it at that. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. Using his nose to softly nudge her face to his, he kissed her. Olivia could taste the faint trace of scotch, which she found to be surprisingly sexy.

"We should probably head out." Olivia pulled away, reluctantly, "But first, I have to ask you some questions about this one scene."

Fitz turned her around in his arms and rested his head on her shoulder. "Shoot."

Olivia flipped through the script to a particular scene. "Okay, I don't understand why I saw this here." She pointed to a line, "I'm trying to understand where my character is coming from."

In the middle of Fitz's explanation, there was a knock at the door. Immediately, Olivia jumped out of Fitz's arms and sat professionally in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Come in." One of the assistants appeared, notifying him that the rest of the crew was waiting on them in the other room. "Alright, we're coming."

/

By the end of the day, Olivia had her script marked and highlighted like a high school textbook. The cast was beginning to file out of the room, and Fitz shot Olivia a look to tell her to hang behind. Finally it was just them in the room alone.

"Olivia, I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have let my morning get to me like that."

"Don't worry about it. Really."

"Let me make it up to you. What are your plans for Saturday?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Can I take you to the beach? I know of a private place that will take your breath away."

"Okay," Olivia blushed. Something about Fitz made her feel a like a schoolgirl being wooed by the football team's quarterback.

"Okay then. I can pick you up at 10am." He kissed her temple and whispered in a low voice, "Pack a swimsuit."

/

Promptly at 10:00, Fitz rang her doorbell. She answered in a periwinkle cover up and a tote carrying a towel, change of clothes, and sunscreen. She decided to wear her hair natural, knowing that she would probably go swimming.

"Wow. You look amazing."

Olivia just smiled and accepted his peck on her lips. "Let's go."

When he led her to his sporty, red, convertible coupe, Olivia burst into a fit of giggles.

"What?" Fitz grinned as he put her bag in the trunk.

"You must have a garage full of sports cars that you choose from."

"This is actually a friend's. She let me borrow it for the day."

Fitz drove along the scenic highways, avoiding the busy interstates. He drove a couple miles north of Malibu, and pulled off of the main road to this winding, sandy road. It ended abruptly at a wall of shrubbery. He parked the car and grabbed her bag and a picnic basket out of the trunk. He helped Olivia out of the car, chuckling at her quizzical expression.

"Don't worry, I know where I'm going."

"I hope so. Part of me thinks you drove me all the way out here to murder me. In ten minutes, I'm probably going to be at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean."

He pulled a large plant back and helped Olivia duck through the passageway.

"Oh, God." Olivia gasped at the view. A tiny trail led down to the beach, which was cut off by two cliffs, making it completely private. The ocean sparkled back at her.

"I told you." Fitz smirked as he took her hand, and walked down the trail with her. He laid a large blanket down on the beach and set up their picnic. When Olivia shed her cover up, Fitz couldn't help but stare like a madman. She was wearing a tiny, white, string bikini with black detailing. She looked fantastic. She started to walk towards the ocean, away from him. All Fitz could do was stare as her ass, barely covered by her bottoms, as it swayed away from him.

"Where are you going?"

"To swim."

Fitz quickly chased after her into the water. When the water hit her knees, Olivia immediately started to retreat.

"Holy _shit_! It is cold."

Fitz couldn't stop laughing at her, "Don't tell me you are afraid of a little water."

"I was on the swim team in high school, thank you very much," Olivia puffed her chest out in pride, "Region champs, and first place in girl's butterfly."

"Prove it." Fitz picked up Olivia in a fireman's hold, dragging her into the water.

"No, Fitz. I swear to God, take me back to the shore!" When he reached waist level, he attempted to throw her in, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso in a death grip. A large wave came and soaked her back. "I hate you." She gasped.

"No you don't." He challenged back. "It's not that bad, watch." With that, he ducked down to where the water reached their necks. He felt her body shiver in his arms, then relax. "See? You just have to get used to it."

"I still hate you." Olivia stuck her bottom lip out at him. Fitz didn't let the opportunity go to waste, as he immediately captured her lips in his. She responded by arching her back, and deepening the kiss. He palmed her ass underwater, making her moan softly into his mouth.

"Is that how you kiss the men you hate?" Fitz broke the kiss.

"Maybe." Olivia rolled her eyes in good nature at his quip and swam out of his grasp. "Wanna race?"

Fitz laughed, "I'm not going to race you."

"You told me to 'prove it'. This is me proving it. Unless you are scared."

Fitz pointed to a rock about 30 yards away. "Fine. I'll race you to that rock over there."

"Deal. Say when."

"WHEN."

They took off towards the rock like little fish. Through the spray of salty water, Fitz could see her figure splashing ahead of him. No matter how hard he kicked and paddled, she still beat him. When she reached the rock, she triumphantly climbed on top of it and smirked at the winded Fitz.

"Alright, I get it. You won regions."

"Let's go lie down. We should probably put some sunscreen on."

They dried off and laid out in the sun. Fitz spread sunscreen into Olivia's back and legs, using the SPF as an excuse to worship her body with his hands. He flipped her over, rubbing the lotion into her stomach. He slowly drew his fingers down, tracing her hips and settling on her thighs. Softly massaging her inner thighs, he watched her face, her eyes closed, mouth slightly parted. She was in bliss under the pressure of his hands. The sun was beating down, but the ocean air was pleasant. She opened her legs more, urging him on.

Fitz started to kiss her collarbone, making a trail up her neck. Careful not to leave any marks, he sucked the saltiness off of her skin in his path. When he ghosted over her pulse point, he could feel her racing heart. He shifted so that he was in between her legs. Olivia reached down to untie the strings holding her bottoms together.

Fitz took his cue and cupped her sex with one hand. Olivia bucked her hips and sought his lips out with hers. Dueling his tongue with hers, Fitz started to work her drenched clit between his fingers. ' _Fuck, he knows what he's doing_ ,' Olivia thought as she raked her fingers down his broad, muscular back. He pumped one, then two fingers into her, making her throw her head back in rapture, breathily screaming his name.

Fitz pulled her top off and threw it into the sand, admiring her breasts with his mouth. When he pulled a nipple into his mouth, she let loose with a loud, incoherent, throaty moan. Olivia surrendered control of her body to her orgasm, letting it rip through her core. She felt like she was in one of those fantasies in paradise with the man of her dreams. Like her alarm clock could go off at any second and it would all be ripped away from her.

She opened her eyes to see Fitz looking at her like no man had ever looked at her. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Olivia slid her hand down his chiseled abs to the waist of his swim trunks. She stroked his length, loving the way his cock twitched into her hand.

"God, Livvie." Fitz grunted as she began to push his trunks down. "Shit…Wait…" Fitz stilled, "I forgot condoms."

Olivia didn't stop her hand's work on him, "It doesn't matter. I'm clean. You are too, right?"

"Yes, but," Fitz pulled out of her grasp and stilled her wrist, "I can't with you. It isn't right."

Olivia gave him a confused look.

"Livvie, I care about you. I want to do this the right way. I don't want this to be some dirty thing that you regret in the future."

Olivia nodded and pulled his swim trunks back up and tied her bottoms back up. Fitz flipped them over to where he was lying on his back and she had her head on his chest. Their legs were blissfully intertwined. She remained topless, enjoying the feel of skin on skin. Fitz softly ran his hand up and down her back.

After a couple of minutes, Olivia whispered, "What are we even doing?"

"What do you mean?" Fitz murmured.

Olivia sighed as she traced her fingers over his chest hair. "I don't know. This feels so right with you, right here on this beach. It is perfect, actually, but what about when we start shooting? Don't you think that will cause problems? I don't want any favoritism. I don't want people to whisper."

Fitz hugged her closer to him, "People will whisper no matter what. But, we can keep this secret if you want. I can also separate my work from my personal life. I'll treat you like everyone else. You can check me on that if I ever don't." Fitz pulled her chin back to where she could look him in the eyes. "If you want, we are in this together."

Olivia's eyes almost started to mist as she pecked him softly on the lips, "We are in this together."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, perfectly content.

 **PRESENT DAY**

Olivia dialed his number for the fourth time. Before she had time to talk herself out of it…again… she pressed the green circle putting the call through. _Shit._ She raised the phone to her ear, trying to remember what she had rehearsed a million times before.

"Hello?" Fitz's clear voice came through the speaker. He didn't have the number in his phone, but the second her heard her voice, he knew who it was.

"Hi." Olivia took a deep breath to steady the shakiness that she hoped wasn't apparent. "Are you busy?"

"No. Not at all. What is it?" Fitz swiveled in his office chair away from Cyrus who was sitting in front of him.

"I think that we need to talk. To clear some things up."

"Yeah, I would like that."

"Could you come tonight? I have moved since… I can text you the address."

Fitz glanced at his watch, noting it was 6:08. "Of course. I'm just finishing up at the office. Have you eaten yet? I can be there with some dinner in forty-five minutes."

"No, but you don't have to—"

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you in a little bit, Liv."

"Okay, bye."

Fitz hung up and turned back around to an enraged Cyrus.

"Liv?" Fitz could see his blood pressure rising. " _Liv?!_ "

"We are done here, Cyrus. I'll send that paperwork to you by the end of the week."

"Please tell me that you were not just on the phone with _Olivia Pope_ , promising to bring dinner. I swear to God!"

"Cyrus. Unless you have any other business matter, we are done here."

"Are you insane?" His face started to turn the familiar red. "Need I remind you—"

"No. Let me remind _you_ that this is none of your business, and you are stepping outside of your bounds right now. I have every reason to kick you out of this office right now. You fucked me over once before, so get this straight. You have no business concerning yourself over my personal life. I know that you see little green dollar signs flowing out of this next project. This is a golden opportunity for you, and I would hate for you to fuck it up, because you couldn't mind your business. Now, if you excuse me, I think we are done here. _Leave._ "

Cyrus began to say something else, but the look on Fitz's face dared him to. Wordlessly, he got up and left.

Fitz gathered his belongings and headed to Olivia's place. He picked up what he remembered to be her favorite sushi on the way. He wasn't surprised by where she lived. It was a clean neighborhood on the coast. The houses were very expensive looking, but low key enough to not be on the paparazzi's radar. He pulled into her driveway and took in her house. It couldn't have been more than ten years old, with its modern architecture and large windows. He rang the doorbell. Olivia answered in a pair of black leggings, a heather grey tank top and a crème colored cardigan.

"Hi. I went by Masa and got you the E.T. roll, and a seaweed salad." He entered the threshold and moved to kiss her on the cheek. Olivia smoothly dodged his advance and closed the door.

"Thanks. That is my favorite."

"I remember." Fitz walked into her kitchen to set the food down. "I always wondered where you would end up after living in that hole in a wall. I like it. This place is very…It fits you." He looked around the neutral colored furniture and the all glass wall that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. "It is classy and young."

"Thank-you." She pulled out a bottle of wine and some plates. "I can start up a fire on the patio if you don't mind the cold."

"No, that would be great." She went outside to start the fire in a fire pit, and Fitz set the food out on the plates and tucked the wine bottle under his arm. He joined her outside, taking a second to admire her unknowingly. She was beautiful in every way possible. Out of fear that she would turn around and catch him staring, he set the food and wine down on the coffee table

They sat on opposite sides of the couch facing the ocean and ate and drank their wine in almost silence. They made sparse small talk to ease the awkwardness, but both of them knew that they would have to hash it out once they finished dinner.

With a final swallow of sushi, Olivia refilled her wine glass and shifted her body from watching the sunset, which had just quietly slipped beneath the oceanic horizon, to Fitz. He was silently watching the flames of the fire dance before him.

"Fitz."

He turned to face her, propping one knee on the couch. "I'm sorry about the other day, at the charity auction. I shouldn't have…It wasn't right, and I shouldn't have done that."

Fitz wasn't sure if she was talking about when she attacked him with her fists or with her lips, but he let it fall. He didn't mind either. "Liv, can I explain my side of the story? I never wanted to hurt you. I was weak and I let some people convince me things I didn't believe in. I let their thoughts and greedy agendas become my own and I'm sorry."

Olivia saw the vulnerability in his eyes and felt her heart almost break in compassion. "Go ahead. Start from the beginning."

Fitz took a deep breath and set his glass of wine down. "When you first auditioned for me, I knew you were the one. For the part, and also for me. But Cyrus and Hollis Doyle insisted that a person like you wasn't going to sell movie tickets. They were wrong, obviously. Their racist minds couldn't grasp the fact that one of the greatest upcoming actresses of our generation was black. You scared them. I ignored them at first. I saw your shining potential. I fought for you. I didn't plan on falling in love with you. Despite what you probably think, it was never my intent to seduce you and play you for the part. I'm not—that is not who I am."

Fitz sipped some more of his wine, before continuing.

"Anyways, I told them all to go to hell. It worked for a while. It became a battlefield for me, though, fighting every single attack they would launch on you to me. They had no idea that we were together at first. Around the time that you started to doubt us that they finally found the holes in my defense. They found out about us.

"Instead of being there to prove to you that I was legit, I let them get inside of my head. They made me feel like my father, taking advantage of his actresses. It was wrong, but I believed them. They told me that the best thing I could do for you was fire you and move on. All of those lies about your character and work ethic were Hollis Doyle. I never said any of it. By the time that I heard about them, it was too late. You were gone, and I couldn't do anything about it. It almost ruined me."

"It almost ruined you?" Olivia's voice was barely above a whisper, but weighed down with emotion. "It almost ruined _me_. Do you know how hard it is to get a job in a town where you are automatically written off as the 'bitch' who 'was impossible to work with'?"

Her words caused him to flinch. The article posted on a well-read blog where some false quotes of Fitz's were published stayed with both of them.

"I'm so sorry."

"You ruined me, Fitz. I had to go back to New York for a couple of months before I could even show my face here. You were the only friend I had, the only person I _trusted_. I believed you when you told me you loved me, but you were lying—"

"I meant every single word. Every. Single. Word."

Olivia could not stop the sobs that started to rip through her chest. "I hated you for so long. I shut you and everyone else out. You broke me." They sat there in silence as Olivia got her emotions under control. Finally, her breathing steadied.

"Can I have one minute? Just one minute where we forget all of the bullshit that happened and it is just Fitz and Livvie." Fitz held his arms out to her. She looked at him like he was insane for a moment. Hesitation lingered thickly in the air. Finally, she slid across the couch and rested her head on his chest. Her arm snaked around his torso, hugging him tighter, and his arms rested against her back, faintly tracing shapes against her cardigan.

The sky was now a deep blue and the fire flickered uneven shadows onto their skin. Fitz softly kissed the top of her head, letting her scent fill his senses. They stayed in each other's arms for way longer than one minute. Neither one wanted to break it.

Finally, Olivia spoke, "I am tired of hating you."

"We can't keep going on like this." He mumbled into her hair.

"Can we go back?"

Fitz looked down at Olivia who was staring up at him with big brown eyes. "Back to what?"

Olivia's breath hitched as she brought her fingers up to his mouth. She lightly traced over his lips and then brushed her palm across is cheek. She pulled his chin towards her with her thumb. Their lips were centimeters apart, they were breathing each other's air.

"This." She closed her lips on his, sealing it with the most gracious gift Fitz could ever receive: forgiveness.

They continued to kiss, taking it slow for safety's sake. Neither one wanted to push too hard or rush anything, but they also didn't trust themselves with each other. Once the sparks started to fly, there was no telling where they would end up. Fitz pulled Olivia to where she was lying across his lap.

Eventually, the fire died down to glowing embers, and Olivia started to shiver. "Let's go inside." Fitz grabbed their dinner plates and followed Olivia inside. He did the dishes and kissed her goodnight.

"Thank you. For this second chance."

All Olivia could do was nod her head and reach up for a final kiss. She watched him leave and pull his car out of her driveway. When his headlights disappeared down the road, she went upstairs to her bedroom and stripped down and fell into the deepest sleep she had experienced in years.


	5. Own It

Drake—Own It

Next time we fuck, I don't want to fuck, I want to make love  
Next time we talk, I don't want to just talk, I want to trust  
Next time I stand tall I want to be standing for you  
And next time I spend I want it all to be for you  
Peaking, I'm peaking, wake up with me this weekend, weekend  
Guess who's it is? Guess who's it is? Guess who's it is?  
It's yours

* * *

 **PRESENT DAY**

"Well, thank you for stopping by and best of luck!"

"Thank you for having me. I always have so much fun on your show."

"See Olivia Pope in _Underground Kings_ in theaters now. We'll be back after the break!"

A production assistant waved his finger in a circular motion, signaling that they were on commercial break. She gave the talk show host a friendly hug before another assistant ushered her off of the set. She high fived some of the audience members lucky enough to sit on the front row and made her way to her dressing room.

Olivia immediately kicked her 4" heels off of her feet the second she was safely in her dressing room. She was never fond of heels, but her 5'4" height made them a requirement. She plopped down in the chair and rolled her ankles between her hands for momentary relief. She was on such a high intensity press circuit for Oscar season that she felt like a pinball being shot from city to city. That morning, she did two shows in New York City and then flew to Los Angeles to do a radio show and a night show. She really loved doing press and talk shows, but after the day she had just had, tired was an understatement. Her feet hurt and her eyes were irritated from all of the makeup and bright lights.

She reached into her purse for her pair of back-up ballet flats, her fingertips grazing a foreign texture. _What the…_ Olivia pulled a single red rose from her bag. As if she didn't know who it was from, she read the note tied around it in a white ribbon.

 _You must be exhausted. I have a home cooked meal, a really comfy couch, and a big bottle of wine. ~Fitz_

Olivia read the words again, silently to herself and ran her fingers over his familiar handwriting. She felt the biggest smile spread across her face. No matter how hard she tried to keep her feet on the ground and rational thoughts in her head, she couldn't stop the butterflies raging beneath her ribcage from Fitz. They had not spent time with each other since they agreed to give it another chance due to Olivia's hectic schedule, but whenever Olivia allowed her mind to wander to what it could possibly mean, she got lost in the world of fantasy.

There was something different about Fitz now. It was hard to describe or even to put her finger on. Almost like his eyes were clearer and he was more secure in who he was. She could tell the day at Cyrus's estate that he spent every day apart from her beating himself up over how they ended. Rightly so, might she add, but she could see the toll it took on him. She was far from blindly running back into his arms, but she was taking it one step at a time.

She dug her ballet flats out of her bag to relieve her aching feet, and quickly gathered her stuff to leave.

 **4 YEARS AGO**

Olivia could feel herself being lifted into the air.

As she slowly fought to regain consciousness, she could feel the arms supporting her gently shift her weight as they began to climb a staircase.

"Fitz?" Olivia's eyes finally focused as she saw him smiling down at her. "What are you…"

"Shhh, Livvie. We fell asleep on the couch. It's too late for you to drive home, so you are sleeping in my bed tonight."

What started out as a " _study session_ " (as Olivia coined it in an attempt to make Fitz focus) for her lines in the film turned into a competitive battle of throwing popcorn into each other's mouths which turned into snuggling comfortably to the evening news which turned into Olivia falling asleep on Fitz's chest.

"I can walk. You don't have to carry me." Olivia wriggled in her sleepy haze, half-heartedly protesting. His arms only tightened around her.

"Relax. We are here." He pushed open his bedroom door and set her down on the edge of his king sized bed. He went into his closet and grabbed a t-shirt. "Here. I'll be downstairs if you need me." He leaned in to kiss her gently on the lips. "Goodnight."

"Wait. Where are you going to sleep?"

"On the couch. I'll be—"

"No. Sleep here with me."

Olivia slid across to the other side of the bed and pulled her shirt over her head, revealing a white lacey bra. She unclasped her bra and unbuttoned her jeans, squirming out of them until she was just sitting in her underwear. She could see how much it was torturing him as she slowly pulled his t-shirt over her head. Her erect nipples were visible beneath the thin fabric.

"Aren't you going to put on your pajamas or…" Olivia was wide awake now, and she could see that he was too. She was enjoying this sexual empowerment she felt with him. They were equal players in this exciting game.

Fitz smirked as he disappeared into his closet and reemerged shirtless with a pair of plaid navy blue pajama pants hanging dangerously low on his hips. He turned the lights out so that his bedside lamp dimly illuminated the room. With one arm he scooped Olivia up, and the other arm pulled the covers back.

Olivia climbed onto Fitz's lap, straddling him. She deliberately slid her lacey panty-clad core against his erection as she began to kiss his jaw line, making a path for his lips. When she bit down on his bottom lip, Fitz grabbed her by her ass cheeks and pulled her down hard against his erection.

"Do you feel me, babe? It's all for you." He broke their passionate kiss to launch an assault on her neck and collarbone.

"I…fuck…I feel you." Olivia gasped. The next thing she knew, his t-shirt was being lifted over her head and his tongue was licking around her nipples. "Fiiiittzzz" she breathed as she arched her back and threw her head back.

Fitz flipped them over to where he was on the top. He slid her soaked panties down her legs, kissing a trail down her thigh. After kicking his own pajama pants off, they were both naked and panting wildly.

"What?" Olivia asked, searching his eyes as he paused.

"I can't believe that I'm here with you. I can't believe you are real. This seems a little too surreal."

Olivia could feel her eyes misting as she leaned up to kiss him and pull him back to her. This was so much more than two sweat bodies rolling around on a mattress for physical pleasure. They shared a connection that was more powerful than either one could fathom.

As their kiss deepened with tongue, she slid her hand down to his stiff member. Fitz felt like he could explode any second from her small hand delicately stroking up and down his cock.

He pulled a condom out of his bedside table and quickly applied it. He lined himself up with her pussy and slowly entered.

Their eyes never left each other's as they joined bodies in the most intimate ways. Fitz wished he could bottle this moment up forever. After she became accustomed to his size in her, he began to pump in and out of her.

"God, Livvie. You feel amazing." Fitz whispered as he began to finger her clit to the rhythm of his hips. He could feel their bodies tensing up for ecstasy as he hooked her leg over his shoulder and hit a new depth over and over. She came, screaming his name, clenching around his dick. Feeling her unravel beneath him sent Fitz over the edge with a grunt as he collapsed, careful to keep his weight off of her tiny frame.

"Wow." Olivia whispered.

"Yeah." Was all Fitz could get out as he tried to gather coherent thoughts.

Fitz climbed out of the bed to discard the used condom and clean up. When he returned to the bedroom he found Olivia fast asleep in his bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. He slipped back to her side and pulled her close to him. He never wanted to fall asleep without her head resting on his chest ever again.

/

Fitz woke up in heaven with the morning sun streaming in the windows of his bedroom and the most beautiful woman wrapped around his torso. She must have gotten cold during the night, because she was almost completely underneath his thick down comforter and curled against him with her head resting in the middle of his chest. They had created a tight cocoon of body heat, and he couldn't complain. All he could see was a patch of bed-head hair sticking out from the cover, but he could feel every inch of her body against his.

He glanced at the clock. _8:19_. He didn't want to move an inch, so he willed himself to go back to sleep and enjoy this small slice of perfection.

/

Mellie tightened her ponytail before stepping out of her car. She had finally scheduled a free day with Fitz play tennis. It was something they did whenever their schedules allowed, and an effective way to blow off steam with their childishly competitive matches. She rang the buzzer, but when nobody answered, she used the spare key he kept underneath a potted plant.

"Fitz?" She called out into the house. She checked the downstairs, and then walked upstairs. "Fitz, are you ready to get your ass handed to you?"

She entered his bedroom to find him fast asleep with his mouth hanging open, and his hair comically sticking up. "Fitz. Wake up, it is 9:30!"

He jerked forward and a small head of black hair popped out from beneath the sheets.

"Oh, shit!" Fitz blurted out. Olivia quickly retreated beneath the covers to hide.

"Oh my God, Fitz. Sorry." Mellie couldn't stop the fit of giggles erupting from her stomach as she backed out of the bedroom and shut the door. "I'll be downstairs once you two are decent."

Olivia kept her face buried beneath the covers in shame.

"Was that who I thought it was?" Olivia muttered, mortified, into his ribcage.

"Mellie Stonewood is a really close friend of mine. Don't worry. She won't say anything. She's only going to find every way to lord this over me and embarrass me at every opportunity. I'm sorry, totally forgot that we had plans to play tennis this morning."

Olivia slowly peeked out from the covers trying not to laugh. "I used to love her movies when I was little. I never thought I would ever meet her. I _certainly_ never imagined I would be naked, entangled with a naked man when it happened."

Fitz laughed at how bizarre this must be for her.

"We should probably get dressed." Olivia tried to leave the warm bed.

"Not before I do this." Fitz pulled her up to where their faces were aligned and kissed her softly on the lips. "Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning." She smiled as she pecked his lips one more time then rolled out of the bed. "Where did you put my underwear last night?"

Fitz flashed a devilish grin, "They are mine now. I guess you'll just have to go commando."

"Fitz, I'm wearing jeans. It doesn't work like that." Olivia rolled his eyes playfully as she put her bra on, then his t shirt from the previous night and pulled her hair back into a sloppy bun.

"Fine." He pulled her underwear out of the pocket of his pajamas and tossed them to her. "You win this time."

They dressed then went downstairs to find Mellie making coffee.

"Hi, I'm Olivia." She extended her hand.

"I'm Mell—"

"Oh, I know who you are." Olivia gushed, " _Through With Luck_ was the first rated-R movie I ever snuck in to see. I'm a big fan."

"Fitz, she's a keeper." Mellie joked. "I'm so sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I didn't realize Fitz had a guest or even a _girlfriend_." She emphasized the last word like a schoolboy terrified of cooties, causing Fitz to blush.

"Nah, it's my fault. I forgot that I had to beat you in tennis today."

They continued their playful conversation over their cup of coffee. Olivia liked Mellie and her ability to cut Fitz down in a millisecond. When they finished, Fitz walked Olivia out to her car. Mellie watched from the window as they lingered by her car door and then kissed goodbye. There was something really different about the way he interacted with her. Out of all of the girlfriends he had suffered through, she was different. There was no polite pretense between them, as if they had been married for 50 years.

Olivia drove off and Fitz returned to the kitchen.

"I like her. She's cute." Mellie commented as Fitz rinsed their coffee mugs out. "You have my stamp of approval."

"Thanks. Keep your lips tight about this though. It's kind of a delicate situation."

"Don't be vague." Mellie prodded.

"She's that actress I was telling you about. The one who is playing lead in my new project."

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant…"

"It isn't like that. It is different and I'm sure of it."

"You have to be careful, Fitz. You can't fuck this up."

"I know."

 **PRESENT DAY**

Fitz answered the door looking like a model out of a Ralph Lauren ad when he answered the door in khakis and an olive green turtleneck.

"You came." He beamed like a boy who won the large teddy bear at the fair

"I came." Olivia affirmed as she entered his threshold out of the winter air. "How did you get that rose in my purse?"

"I had a meeting at ABC and I saw you were going to be on tonight." He bent down to kiss her on the cheek, which to his surprise, she let him.

"You made an irresistible pitch. Where is this 'comfy couch'?" Olivia joked as she walked into his kitchen. "You weren't kidding about the home-cooked meal. It smells amazing."

Fitz checked the oven and pulled out two wine glasses. "Pick out the wine, go sit, and enjoy. Dinner will be ready in about five minutes. Rotisserie chicken, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. Pick out the wine, go sit, and enjoy a glass."

Olivia poured them both a glass of wine and sat on a kitchen stool to watch him finish.

"Do you want to tell me about your day? I saw a couple minutes of you on _The Today Show_ this morning." Fitz asked.

"Yeah, that was neat. I don't miss how freezing it is up there though. I almost forgot to walk on ice." She told him about all of the details of her hectic day over dinner. Once they had finished, they moved to the couch and started on their second glass of wine. Olivia hooked Fitz's iPod up to the speakers and played music softly. Olivia was more guarded around him now. She still leaned against his chest on the couch, but their cuddling was not as intimate as it used to. Fitz knew she just needed time to get used to him again, so he didn't push anything.

Fitz heavily debated when to tell her about Cyrus. He didn't want to fuck anything up with her just recently accepting him back. He wouldn't go through with the deal unless she gave him her blessing. She was more important than any career move. He forgot how well she could read him.

"A penny for your thoughts."

"Huh?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"It is something, you suck at lying. I can hear you thinking."

Fitz knew he couldn't wriggle out of it right now. "Olivia, please don't get mad at what I'm about to tell you. Hear me out, then judge."

Olivia sat up so that she was facing him and shot him a confused look. "Go ahead."

"I just finished a script for a new film. I honestly think that it will be _the_ film of my career. I have never felt this passionate about an idea before. The problem is that no studio wants to sponsor it. They say it is too risky. That the concept will fly over the people's heads. There is only one man who is willing to back me on this. Only one man who is _financially secure_ enough to not only fund this, but give me full reign on it."

Fitz paused, not wanting to finish it.

"Who is it?" Olivia asked in an even tone. She set her hand on his knee to encourage him.

"Cyrus Beene."

Olivia drew her hand back like his knee was a hot stove and gave him the most scathing look. She was off the couch, walking away.

"Liv, wait."

"No." Her voice shook with anger.

"Just listen. If you don't—"

"Have you lost your mind? How fucked up in the head do you have to be to think that this is okay? After everything he put you—no, _us_ —through and you are stupid enough to think—what exactly? That Cyrus would suddenly see the light and not screw you over if it meant his financial gain?"

Tears began to flow freely down her cheeks despite how hard she tried to stop them.

Fitz stood up and took steps toward her with his arms out "Livvie, don't cry. Hear me out."

She only coiled back "Don't come any closer to me."

"Then forget about it." Fitz threw his hands up in surrender, "The deal is off with Cyrus. You mean more to me than a stupid movie."

Olivia looked at him like he was a cross between an alien and a convicted felon, then went to grab her keys off of the counter.

"We can talk about it. You don't have to leave." Fitz begged as he watched her speed walk towards the door.

"I need space right now. You owe me that much." She disappeared out into the night. Ten seconds later he could hear her car driving off.


	6. Stay

Stay—Mayday Parade

I need some time just deliver the things that I need for now  
Everything that I feels like a warm deep calm casting over me  
And it's taking me to somewhere new  
If you believe that everything's alright  
You won't be all alone tonight  
And I'd be blessed by the light of your company,  
Slowly lifting me to somewhere new  
Oh can you tell, I haven't slept very well  
Since the last time that we spoke, you said  
Please understand if I see you again don't even say hello.

* * *

 **PRESENT DAY**

Now was not the time for her usual nightly habits as Olivia shed her clothes, piece by piece, and climbed into her bed naked. Olivia only ever slept naked with Fitz, but now clothes seemed like gross suffocation. She slipped in between her cold sheets and pulled them up to her ears. Her body felt like it had been hit by an eighteen wheeler, but her mind wouldn't allow it the pleasure of sleep.

Like a corny, made-for-television movie, her mind relived every detail of her time with Fitz and its aftermath. From the first casting call to the precious moments spent in his arms to the fall out to the words he uttered a mere thirty minutes ago.

 _You mean more to me than a stupid movie_

 _You mean more to me than a stupid movie_

 _You mean more to me than a stupid movie_

 **FOUR YEARS AGO**

"How do I look?" Olivia frantically smoothed the wrinkles out of her skirt.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Fitz growled into her ear using his sexiest, panty-dropping voice and slipping his hands back around to her ass.

"I'm serious Fitz." She put her hands in between them for space, but made no move to wiggle out of his grasp "I can't go out there looking like I just…"

"Had the most earthshattering sex in a costume closet?"

"Yeah, that." Olivia giggled.

"You look beautiful. Nobody will notice." He pulled her closer and smoothed out an unruly strand of hair.

"Thank you." Olivia smiled as she went on her tip toes to kiss him. "You go first. I'll wait a couple minutes."

Fitz left and she counted to fifty before exiting. There were no words to describe how amazing the past three weeks had been. They were insatiable for each other, taking every opportunity offered (which led to the wardrobe closet during their lunch break.) Fitz was a new animal that she couldn't get enough of. She never thought that she could have so many orgasms in a day.

She couldn't wait until production was over and press began for the film. That was when they agreed to go public with their relationship. Wait until the final product was sent off to theaters, then they would finally be able to hold each other's hand in public.

The actress playing her character fifty years older had some scheduling conflicts, so they were shooting her scenes first. Olivia's work would start in a week. She still hung around the set during the day to get a feel of the pace, and to watch Fitz work. He was magnificent at directing. He knew the shots to call and when to call them. The light he got in his eyes whenever he was in the zone was sexy on so many levels.

The whole process was scary and overwhelming for Olivia, but Fitz was her support through it all. They had reviewed her lines over and over in the privacy of his bed. He never counted on her being such a research nut and so comprehensive in building her character. Olivia had a raw talent that he had never seen before. Fitz saw it to be his job to protect her on set and make sure she was comfortable enough to perform at her best. She trusted him more than anything.

Olivia thought about that morning in the shower. He was lathering her shoulders with body wash. He softly spoke "I love you." It was so simple and pure with no pretense or expectation. He continued to tenderly wash her as if nothing happened. He didn't want to make a big deal or push any feelings of obligation on her. When she said it back, he kissed the tip of her nose and that was that.

Olivia wouldn't allow herself to over analyze this like she had with her other relationships. She was diving head first and it felt good. It would be too easy to panic over how fast things were moving between them, but she couldn't. It felt too _good_ to question.

/

 **6 DAYS LATER (BUT STILL 4 YEARS AGO)**

 _Olivia: What time are you getting to set? I'm due to hair and makeup at 7:30_

 _Olivia: I want to see you before we start._

 _Olivia: Are you in your office? I'm swinging by_

Olivia refrained from sending another text. Something was wrong. She could feel it in her gut. She glanced at her watch. _6:49._ He should be in his office. His door was closed. She knocked politely on his door.

"Fitz?"

"We'll be done in a minute, darling," the thick Southern accent that could only belong to Hollis Doyle called out. Olivia walked to the other side of the hallway and leaned against it to wait. Several minutes later, Cyrus emerged, shutting the door behind him.

"Good morning, Cyrus."

"Good morning, Olivia. Can I talk to you in my office?"

"Of course, can I just see Fitz first, I need to—"

"He is in the middle of something, and this is actually very important." Cyrus began walking towards his office, giving Olivia no choice but to follow. She had yet to warm up to him, but Cyrus didn't seem like the type who had ever had the intention of being friendly.

"Take a seat." Cyrus commanded once they were in his office. He shut the door and went to sit down behind his desk. "I'm going to skip all of these pleasantries, and be frank with you. I have a busy day of work ahead of me and the sooner we get this over with, the better."

"Get what over with?" Olivia shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"This is your first job out of college, right?"

"Yes, I just graduated in May."

"Ah, well I'm sorry to tell you this, but we have decided to go with a different choice for the character Caroline. We needed someone with more, uh, money attached to her name. You will need to turn your access pass into the security guard on your way out."

"Are you firing me?" Olivia asked incredulously.

"Yes. If you are still really interested in this project, you are free to apply to volunteer as an extra. You can file an application with Megan, the casting director."

"Does Fitz know?"

"Who do you think sent me to do this?"

Olivia swallowed uncomfortably, trying to digest the gravity of the situation.

"Oh, you want to pretend that you are special? That you aren't the first actress to—excuse my language—fuck around in the closet with Fitzgerald Grant the Third? The son of the infamous director who had a problem with keeping his pants zipped? Apple. Tree. It was practically his idea. It isn't convenient to change your lead actress just as shooting starts, but it is _his_ script at the end of the day. _His_ vision."

"I don't believe you. I want to hear it from him." Olivia kept her voice professional despite her world crashing down around her. She began to rise, but Cyrus put his hands out to stop her.

"He won't see you. Why do you think he asked me to break it to you?"

Olivia knew that if she were to try to speak, she would break down, so she sucked her emotions in and left his office. Once she disappeared from Cyrus's doorframe, she half ran to Fitz's office. With each step, she prayed that this was a nasty nightmare that her mind as playing on her, and any second she would wake up and realize that she was late for work.

After no response from her urgent knocks, she tried the door of Fitz's office. It was locked. She didn't know that he was on the other side of the door, four glasses of scotch deep, cradling his head in his hands. He knew it was her knocking. He could only imagine how she was feeling as her world was being set on fire all at once. He was her safety net, but he was burned to cinders, and now she was falling with no one to catch her.

"Fitz, please." He heard her plead, barely above a whisper, as if she could sense him on the other side of the door. Finally after a heartbreaking silence, he heard her walk away. He prayed that she would overcome this. He prayed that she would pick herself up out of this colossal rut he had put her in, and go on to do great things with her career. He prayed most of all, that she didn't really love him. That those words spoken in the shower the other day weren't true. That she was only saying that to be polite, and tomorrow morning she would move on to someone deserving of her.

The scotch clouded his thoughts, making him comfortably numb.

He reached for the case of scotch on the ground, pouring himself another glass. The face of his father kept popping up in his mind. That was a mine field just waiting to blow up. Big Gerry was a manipulative bastard on so many levels. Fitz could recall sitting outside of his dad's study at eight years old hearing whatever actress-of-the-month calling out in passion. After the age of fourteen, Fitz stopped counting on his father to stay until the fourth quarter of his football games unless they were winning by halftime. "Never be the underdog. Being the underdog is a show weakness. If you are weak at halftime, I'm not interested." He would say on his self-indulging monologues that he would ramble on about. Fitz found ways to deal with it, because he learned that life could be miserable with Big Gerry as an enemy.

Yet, as he sat in on the floor draining scotch into his mouth, the image of his father kept haunting his consciousness.

/

Olivia found herself in a foreign place. Never had she ever felt this pain in her veins that was more than physical. Her body ached with exhaustion. She couldn't even focus her eyes for more than three seconds without getting a headache. The scariest part of it all was that there were no tears. She wasn't sure if she could even produce tears, but she was too scared to try. Crying would make this more real than it was. She was past wishing it was a dream, but she appreciated this merciful middle ground where she knew the reality but could only stare blankly at the seam where the cloth met the plastic of the seat in front of her. It hurt too much to look outside.

To see the City of Angels slip beneath the smog would truly break her. It would be a painful reminder that she was played. She was so convinced that she had finally achieved all of her dreams with hard work, but as it turns out, she was nothing more than a fine piece of ass.

Olivia shut the airplane window cover and leaned her head against the uncomfortable cabin wall. She was in hell. With her eyes open, she saw the physical representation of the words she read two days ago on a well-read industry blog. The words that convinced herself her career was over, and made her pack her belongings in a storage unit and buy the first ticket out. When she closed her eyes, she saw his face shrouded in the shower steam, whispering the meaningless "I love you," which was even more painful.

As the plane hummed as it rolled down the runway, Olivia willed any kind of numbness to take over as she stared blankly at the wall in front of her for the eight hour flight to New York City.

 **PRESENT DAY**

The morning sun began to warm up her bedroom. Olivia did not sleep the entire night. She just kept playing everything over in her mind analyzing and picking apart every second of it. Olivia reached for her house phone and dialed a number she could never forget. That was the frustrating thing about heartbreak to her. No matter how hard she tried, she could never forget certain things about him—his address, his brand of cologne, his cell phone number.

"Liv?" his voice sounded exhausted but frantic, like he had spent the entire night pacing and worrying.

"Come over. I want to talk to you in person."

"Of course. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Ok. The backdoor is unlocked. I'll be upstairs in my room."

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Olivia heard his car pull into her driveway. She heard him enter and find his way up to her bedroom.

"Livvie?"

"I'm right here." Olivia pulled the sheets back to let him into the bed with her. "Could you get naked? I want flesh on flesh."

Fitz removed his clothes and climbed into the empty spot next to her. They settled so that their faces were aligned and their legs were entangled.

"You can do the movie with Cyrus." Olivia began. She brought a hand to his face to trace the outline of his jawline. "But you have to promise me that you will tell me everything. I don't want to be in the dark about anything. I want transparency. I also want you to succeed. I want the best for you, because I know that you have the talent and the creativity. Cyrus is a slippery dog who can be malicious, but he also runs this town. There will always be people like him, so we need to learn how to handle them. You will do this movie with him, and you will be so successful at it that you will have a new market power where you don't kiss ass to make your projects work. If you promise me transparency, then I will be by your side the entire time."

"I promise. I will do anything for you. We are in this together."

"We are in this together." Olivia whispered under her breath. "This is not going to be easy for me. You hurt me before, and I have forgiven you, but that doesn't erase how it fucked me up. I still get anxiety and nightmares. I'm working on it though. I know that this is worth it because…"

Fitz ran his hand tenderly from the rise of her hip to her shoulder blade and then back down

"…Because, I still love you."

"I love you too, Olivia."


	7. Make Me Proud

Make Me Proud—Drake (ft. Nicki Minaj)

I know things get hard  
but girl you got it, girl you got, it there you go  
Can't you tell by how they looking at you everywhere you go  
Wondering what's on your mind  
It must be hard to be that fine  
When all these motherfuckers wanna waste your time  
It's just amazing, girl, and all I can say is  
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so, I'm so, I'm so proud of you  
Everything's adding up you been to hell and back,  
that's why you bad as fuck

* * *

 **Fitz:** Pllleeaassseeeee

 **Olivia:** Nope ;)

 **Fitz:** You are killing me

 **Olivia:** Patience. You will see me later tonight

 **Fitz:** Fine… I'll be the idiot gaping on the red carpet at how breathtaking you look.

Olivia smiled at the sincerity compliment. She entertained the idea of ordering her styling team to give her a moment alone and hiking her robe to snap an artistically cheeky picture of the edge of her lingerie that matched her gown. Was he in public? How red would his ears turn?

 **Olivia:** I guess I can give you a sneak peak ;)

Olivia snapped a photo of her freshly pedicured black toes and pressed send.

 **Fitz:** Oh, come on!

 **Olivia:** What? They match my dress

 **Fitz:** You are such a tease

Her makeup artist cleared her throat to get Olivia's attention. It was time to start on her eye shadow.

 **Olivia:** I have to go! I'll catch you later

Olivia obeyed the makeup artist and shut her eyelids. In about thirty minutes, Abbey Whelan, her friendly date, would pick her up. In an hour, she would arrive at the SAG Awards. Thirty minutes after her obligatory red carpet interviews and photography, the show would start.

Olivia pretended that she never read the articles predicting and speculating. It seemed like the humble thing to say when interviewers asked her about her expectations. In reality, she couldn't keep her eyes off of the blogs. Almost every one named her the likely winner of the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actress in a Leading Role for Film. The past year had felt like a whirlwind. Like all of the stars were aligning and pouring their fortune onto her. The beautiful dresses and fame was the fantasy factor, making none of it seem real.

As the makeup artist brushed different shades of grey across her eyes to achieve a sexy, smoky eye look, Olivia thought about Fitz. She wanted him to be her date so bad it hurt. She wanted to hold his hand publicly in front of the hundreds of flashing bulbs. She wanted to sit by him during the production, laughing at the corny jokes of the host. She wanted him to be the first person she hugged when they announced her name—if they announced her name. But they had agreed to keep it secret until after the awards season when the spotlight was not on her as much. She hadn't asked him to be her date yet. She was waiting for the right time.

Plus, Fitz had committed to being Mellie's date weeks ago. Mellie was presenting an award, and was high up in the ranks of the Screen Actors' Guild.

"Look up at the ceiling."

Olivia obeyed, letting the artist dust beneath her eyes. After her makeup was done, it was time to fit into the dress. The Prada gown made a bolder statement than what she was used to. It was a silky black and it looked like it had been lingerie in a former life with layers of fabric added on to make it into an evening gown. Olivia was slightly nervous about the slit that ran dangerously high on her thigh. Her stylist showed her how to pose on the red carpet without having a wardrobe malfunction.

They put the final touches of jewelry on her. Olivia slipped her dangerously high Louboutins on and assessed herself in the full length mirror. She felt beautiful, but the one thing she was most excited about was Fitz seeing her. She wanted his jaw to drop. She wanted his pride to soar in knowing that she was secretly all his.

Her doorbell rang and she let Abbey in.

"Holy shit, Liv." Abbey was wearing a color blocked dress with cutouts along the side, accentuating her model like physique. "Why do you always show me up at shit like this? You look fucking great."

"Um. You kind of look hot yourself." Olivia returned the intended compliment.

"Seriously. They are going to give you the damn award just so they can watch you walk up the stairs."

"Whatever. Let's get out of here."

Their driver drove them to the venue. Once on the red carpet, Olivia and Abbey separated to do their individual press with the agreement to meet back at their seats. After graciously spending time signing autographs and posing for selfies with lucky fans, Olivia was propelled from interviewer to interviewer across the hectic red carpet. She kept her eyes to the crowd, looking for the only person who mattered.

"So…" Guiliana Rancic paused, deep in the air of her television persona, "I have to ask for the curious viewers at home: is there a special someone in your life that you will be celebrating with tonight?"

Olivia knew this question was bound to pop up sometime in the evening. She found these questions tasteless, and distracting from the work of actors, but she knew she had to play nice by the rules of Hollywood.

"I'm sorry, but I like to keep my personal life private." She replied coyly to the E! News anchor.

"Alright, well, the best of luck to you tonight. You look gorgeous. "

"Thank you."

Olivia stepped down from the platform to where her publicist waited. Her publicist, Anna, was short with a wild mane of curly brown hair. She was intense and talked at a rapid fire pace. She was also the best in the business, and Olivia was grateful to have her.

"Great. Now, we have about fifteen minutes until the lights flicker. You can mingle out here, sign more autographs, or go inside. I have to go, but call me tomorrow, OK?"

"Of course." She hugged her and watched her disappear into the crowd. She scanned the crowd once more, smiling and politely greeting anyone who made eye contact with her. She didn't see him or Mellie. As she turned to head towards the entrance, a hand brushed a trail from her elbow down to her wrist.

"Olivia Pope." His voice was not void of sexual suggestion, but thick with pretend politeness. She turned around to see the man of her dreams in a tuxedo looking at her with the clearest blue eyes.

"Fitz Grant." She hugged him, aware of the insistent presence of the paparazzi. "It has been a while." She fought the urge to wink.

"You look amazing." He growled into her ear as he let his hand shamelessly slip down her back.

"Thank you." Olivia stepped out of his grasp, not wanting the cameras to capture her blush and his hand resting on her ass a little too comfortably.

As if on cue, Mellie waltzed over. "Olivia! You look so amazing."

They embraced like old friends. "So do you! How have you been? It has been _forever_." It truly had. The last time she saw her was four years ago. She assumed Mellie knew all of the details of her and Fitz's fall out and reconciliation.

"It really has. And look at how much things have changed! You are so successful. I predicted it from the beginning." Mellie elbowed Fitz in a mock 'I told you so' manner.

"Oh, well thank you."

"We should do lunch sometime. I would love to catch up."

"Yes, I would love that! Next week?"

"Next week it is. Just text me when. Fitz can give you my number."

The lights flickered letting them know to go inside and take their seats.

"I will. It was nice seeing you."

Olivia found Abbey and sat down at their table. The show started. The host was witty, but a little too harsh for her taste. He roasted almost every nominee. Luckily, he hit the concept of her film with a scathing joke, and left her personally untouched. One of the plus sides of being a newcomer combined with staying relatively private.

She watched Mellie present the award for a television category **.** She wanted to peep back at Fitz, but he was awkwardly seated to where she would have to turn completely around. The commercial break began. Olivia got up to use the bathroom. She checked her phone. No messages. Then she saw Fitz deep in conversation with Cyrus. His arms were crossed and his eyebrows were raised in surprise. Not wanting to interrupt that, Olivia mingled with some other celebrities, snapping selfies until the break was over.

Next was her category. Julia Roberts walked onto the stage with a gold envelope in her hand.

"The nominees for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actress in a Leading Role for Film are: Cate Blanchett in _Things Behind The Sun,_ Jessica Chastain in _Skywalker_ , Judi Dench in _Cadie_ , Whoopi Goldberg in _Silver Snow,_ and Olivia Pope in _Underground Kings_."

The polite applause died. Abbey reached under the table and squeezed Olivia's hand, only adding to her nerves. Time seemed to slow. A camera man crouched a couple yards from her, ready to capture her reaction.

"And the statuette of a naked man that eerily resembles Brad Pitt in the 90s goes to…" _laughter_. She ripped the delicate seal open, "Olivia Pope in _Underground Kings._ "

The applause roared as Olivia rose from her chair. Abbey pulled her in for a big hug. She hugged a few others on her way to the stage. Julia Roberts handed her the award. She faced the microphone and took a deep breath. _Don't screw this up._ Amongst the crowd, one face shone brighter than the rest. Fitz was cheezing it like a goof. His blue eyes shined like sapphires with pride.

She knew she couldn't thank him, but as she held eye contact with him, she knew that he understood. After thanking the Guild, she rattled off the names of her agent, costars, director, producer, and everyone directly involved with the film.

She was escorted off of the stage. The congratulations began. Olivia felt lightheaded from all of the legendary actors and actresses that she studied and adored praising her. As the excitement died down, she started back to her seat. The hallway leading to the ballroom area was nearly deserted.

When Olivia thought she was alone she felt a hand, that she immediately recognized, snake its way onto the small of her back. "Follow me." Fitz's deep voice whispered in her ear as he walked on with his usual pace. Olivia looked around to see if anyone saw their exchange, but they were completely alone. He slipped into a room off of the corridor.

Olivia followed him into what appeared to be a technical closet. There was a wall of wires with tiny lights flashing. Fitz flipped the lock on the door and smiled a devastatingly sexy smile.

"Come here."

Fitz pulled her tiny body flush against him. The whole evening, he had watched her from behind, waiting for this moment when he could take her into his arms. She looked so beautiful, it was pure torture. Her heartbeat fluttered against his chest as she looked up at him with a suppressed grin.

"Congratulations" He peppered kisses along her face with each syllable before finally nibbling on her lower lip. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." She whispered, eyes shut in bliss. The only sound was of the low whirring of computers. She snaked her fingers into his hair and pulled him back down for another kiss. They languished in the kiss, not rushing it. Fitz slid his tongue along her lips, requesting access. His hands were resting contentedly on her ass.

Olivia didn't care that her makeup was probably smudging. Winning the award was an honor, but being in his arms was the best part of the night. She wanted to jump him right then and there and have him give it to her from behind, but her dress was too complicated. She had to return it the next day with no damage, and she didn't exactly want to have to explain any suspect stains.

"We should go back out there." Olivia broke the kiss. She ran her fingertips over Fitz's red ears. She loved how red they got when he was aroused.

"I don't want to. I don't care about it." Fitz kissed the tip of her nose.

"Me neither, but we should. We don't want people talking, and it would be rude of me." Olivia used her thumb to wipe her lipstick from his mouth.

"You are right. Who should go first?"

"You should. Give a light knock if the coast is clear."

"Alright, but first…" Fitz assaulted her lips with a kiss more passionate than before.

When Olivia felt them getting carried away again, she pulled away. "Okay. Go. And text me later."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Olivia waited for the safety knock before returning to Abbey at her table.

"What took you so long?"

"I was talking to some people." Olivia lied. She had yet to fill Abbey in on her relationship with Fitz. As far as Abbey knew, they had never met.

"We are going to go celebrate after this. I heard Robert Downey Jr. was throwing an after party. We _have_ to go."

"I don't know…" Parties weren't really her thing. She would do charity events and balls, but the dingy parties held in starlet's apartments weren't really her thing. She wasn't a socialite of the Hollywood crowd, anyways.

"Come _on_. When was the last time you actually had some fun? I'll be there the whole time."

"Fine. I'll think about it." Olivia conceded. Maybe a night out would do some good.

"It will be fun, I promise."

Olivia whipped her phone out of her clutch

 **Olivia:** Abbey is dragging me to the party at Robert Downey Jr.'s. Come?

 **Fitz:** Sure. I'll meet you there

/

The show ended, and the people began to file out of the ballroom. Olivia and Abbey agreed to go home and change before heading to the party. As they exited the building, the cold air whipped around Olivia's shoulders. She shivered, silently chiding herself for not bringing a jacket. Paparazzi flashed their cameras and a string of fans stood behind the barricades, screaming her name. It was all overwhelming, but it was one of the things about being an actress that Olivia was trying to get used to.

She walked over to the fans holding out pictures and cameras. The fans were so sweet as she signed autographs and took pictures with them. As she was about halfway through the line, their car pulled around.

"Liv. Come on." Abbey called out as she stepped into the black SUV.

"Just a minute. I'm almost done." Olivia went back to her fans. As she turned around to take a selfie with a young girl, the mood of the crowd shifted. Someone pushed their way to have a spot along the barricade. A rough pair of hands grabbed at the seam of her dress right below her shoulder blade. She heard a rip as she called out for Abbey. She was pulled further into the crowd as confusion turned into terror.

 _Where is Abbey?_

The cold metal of the barricade bit into her back as the hands snaked around to her torso and breasts, desperately groping. His breath smelled awful and made her gag. Olivia swung her elbow and fists back at the aggressor, but nothing connected.

Like an angel out of a dream, Fitz appeared, sprinting, shrugging his tuxedo jacket off. With a swift uppercut, his fist connected with the nose of the man, sending him reeling back and freeing Olivia. She scrambled to discover the damage to her dress. Her back was exposed, and she had to hold the front of her dress up to keep it from sliding off of her.

Fitz was now sending another punch to the face of the man who attacked Olivia. This sent the man flying on his back out of reach. He shook the pain off of his knuckles and turned around to see Olivia kneeling, struggling to keep her dress covering her.

"Livvie." He picked his abandoned jacket up and wrapped it around her, swallowing her up. Before she had a chance to stand, he picked her up and carried her to his car that was waiting. The bulbs of the paparazzi flashed brighter. Olivia was all the more confused, but she knew at this point, she was safe. She relaxed in his arms and deeply inhaled the familiar scent of his jacket. He set her down gently in the passenger seat and kissed her cheek "I'll be back in a second."

She saw Fitz go talk to Abbey through the tinted windows. Abbey nodded and went back to her car. Fitz returned and pulled onto the main road. After he merged into traffic, he looked over at Olivia who was staring at him intently. He reached and laced his fingers through hers, pulling her hand to his lips.

"I told Abbey I was going to take you home. You are safe, Livvie. I love you."


	8. London Beckoned Songs About Money

**London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines—Panic! At The Disco**

Stop stalling, make a name for yourself  
Boy, you better put that pen to paper and charm your way out  
If you talk it, you better walk it, you better back your shit up  
With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

I'm burning and I'm black in my lungs  
Boy, you know it feels good with fire back on your tongue  
If you talk it, you better walk it, you better back your shit up  
With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

* * *

They drove in silence until Fitz pulled into her driveway. Fitz hopped out of the car and went to open her door. He reached to pick Olivia up, but she stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"I can walk. Thank you." She kissed him softly and stepped out of the car. His jacket still hung around her shoulders, making her look even tinier. She struggled with her dress and her shoes, but she managed to get inside. Fitz followed, switching on the light. "What do you want to drink? I'm having wine, but I think I have some scotch in the cabinet."

"Scotch, if it isn't too much trouble."

On her way to the kitchen, Olivia let her dress slide down, off of her body. She set it over the chair, sighing at the damage. Pulling Fitz's jacket tighter around her like a robe, she was wearing nothing but her lingerie set beneath it. There was nothing but the sound of her pouring their drinks, until Fitz broke the silence.

"I want you to get a security guard for public events."

"Okay." She handed him the glass of scotch and sat down next to him on the sofa.

"And I want you to get a better security system here. At least video surveillance."

"Okay." Olivia replied in the same voice. She took a large sip of her wine glass and stared into the burgundy liquid swishing before her.

"Okay?" He raised an eyebrow.

" _Okay_." Her eyes met his. She was not crying, but her face was wrought with disturbance. "Just give me a minute."

Fitz leaned back and sipped the scotch. He watched her form the corner of his eye. She was fidgeting with the lapel of his coat, her mind whirling a million miles per hour. She was replaying the night. The red carpet, the awards show, winning the award, her speech, Fitz's eyes, the technical closet, the rest of the show, the chilly walk out to the car, the fans, the autographs, the picture with the young fan, the greasy fingers wrapping around her breasts and ripping her dress, Fitz punching him, falling to the ground to keep her dress around her, Fitz's jacket wrapping around her, Fitz picking her up and carrying her to his car, the kiss she planted on his lips, the kiss that was her desperately clinging to whatever was familiar and safe, Fitz talking to Abbey briefly, to the silent car ride home that had them where they were sitting right then and there.

She sprung up and ran out of the room.

"Olivia?"

"Just a minute. Stay there." She called out from her bedroom. She returned with her laptop tucked underneath her arm. She sat down in the middle of the couch and opened her laptop. His jacket, still hanging on her shoulders, had fallen open. Her breasts heaved against the constraints of her bra.

"Shit." She brought a hand up to her mouth as she scrolled down the pages of her computer screen.

"What?" Futz scooted across the couch to where he could see the screen. She had googled her name and clicked the news tab. The headlines made his heart drop.

 _ **OLIVIA POPE**_ _IS ASSAULTED AT SAG AWARDS_

 _FITZGERALD GRANT SAVES_ _ **OLIVIA POPE**_ _'S LIFE ON THE RED CARPET_

 _MAD MAN RIPS_ _ **OLIVIA POPE**_ _'S_ _DRESS OFF ON RED CARPET_

 _NEW COUPLE ALERT?_ _ **OLIVIA POPE**_ _AND FITZGERALD GRANT_

 _NIP SLIP?!_ _ **OLIVIA POPE**_ _SUFFERS WARDROBE MALFUNCTION AFTER SAG AWARDS_

 _FITZ GRANT:_ _ **OLIVIA POPE**_ _'S KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR?_

Olivia clicked on a link that brought her to a shaky cell phone video. It replayed from an angle of the man reaching around Olivia and groping her. She shuttered at the sight of his face. She couldn't tell from the video if he had a beard, or if his face was just that dirty. He was tall, probably about 6'3". He wore a black beanie that covered most of his forehead. She watched the image of herself flailing in his arms in horror. The slit up her leg exposed her lingerie—lingerie that she had only planned on Fitz to see, but now anyone with an Internet connection could see. She watched Fitz appear, swinging his fist into the attacker's face. She watched herself fall to the ground out of his arms and try to salvage her dress. Although the quality of the video was awful, she was positive that the professional paparazzi clicking away captured whatever skin exposed itself. She watched from the computer as Fitz picked her up and carried her to the car. The simple kiss that was illuminated by the camera flashes like a strobe light.

The video ended there.

Olivia finally let the tears fall silently. They were the single expression of her confusion and shame at the incident. Fitz wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her close to his chest. She wiped her tears and stood up, not allowing herself to get lost in his embrace.

"I need to call my publicist over. You should stay. She'll probably want to talk to you too about this. I'll obviously need to go change though." She motioned down to her outfit, or lake thereof. "We need to figure out our next move once she gets here. How public we should go with this, what should happen to this man, that kind of stuff…" Her voice was strong and without the emotions expressed on her soaked cheeks.

"Livvie." Fitz interrupted and reached out and took her hands in his, soothingly rubbing his thumbs across the back of her hands. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She answered too quickly. "Okay, I'm not quite there, but I will be. I need to work this out for my career first. I need to make sure that is taken care of before I can think about myself."

"Okay. Whatever you need, I'm here for it." He stood and kissed her on the cheek. Olivia went to retrieve her phone. After scrolling through all of her messages from friends asking if she was okay, she called her Anna. She was already on that side of the city, and agreed to come over in ten minutes. Olivia changed into leggings and a loose sweater.

Right on time, Anna appeared, holding her laptop and a yellow legal notepad. "How are you, sweetie? I saw the videos. We have a lot of work to do."

"I'm fine. Come on in." Anna walked past her into the living room.

"Hey, Anna. It's been a while." Fitz greeted her. They knew each other well, being so involved in the industry. Olivia offered her a glass of wine, which she declined. Anna sat across from Fitz and Olivia who were sat down next to each other on the couch.

"It has. I heard you were embarking on a risky new project over at Beene Studios. Please tell me that's true."

"It is, but that is all I can tell you at this point."

"Well it sounds promising. Anyways, let's get down to business. I already got a call from Prada about your dress. They won't charge you for the damage, but they do still want the dress back. I can take it by their LA office in the morning. The man who attacked you, his name is Robert Andrews, will be spending the night at the jail. All that they have told me at this point is that he has no permanent residency and no family that he knows of. He hasn't a cent for bail, so he will be spending the night there. He is being charged with assault. If you want to press any civil charges or file a restraining order, then you can."

"I'll talk to my lawyer about the possibilities."

"Good. Now we move on to the optics side of this." Anna eyed Olivia and Fitz, "I'm going to need you to be 100% honest with me. How long has _this_ been going on?" She waved her pen in their direction.

Fitz placed his hand on Olivia's knee and gave it a light squeeze. Olivia instinctively laced her fingers through his, and spoke up. "Four years ago. When I first came to Los Angeles for a couple of months. It ended when I moved back to New York. We got back together about a week and a half ago. We were planning to keep this a secret until after the Academy Awards—to not bring any unwanted attention. But…" Olivia patted her hand against Fitz's, "I guess that can be shot to hell now."

"To put it lightly." Anna noted, scribbling onto her notepad. "Have you two seen the pictures?"

"We saw a cell phone video, but that is all."

Anna pursed her lips as she opened her laptop and tapped into it tightly. After a few keystrokes, she turned the laptop around and set it on the coffee table. "Scroll to the left."

Olivia and Fitz flipped through the pictures. They were as bad as she imagined. In one picture, her slit had opened wide enough to expose her entire panty set. Her right breast spilled out of her dress, and you could clearly see her nipple through the lacy material. Olivia didn't dwell on that photo, quickly moving on. She paused on the picture of Fitz carrying her to the car. Her eyes were shut and she was burying half of her face into his chest. Fitz's eyes were clear and focused and it was clear that his one goal was to keep her safe.

She kept moving through the pictures until she landed on the picture of her kissing him in the car. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were placed delicately on his. One of her hands was deep in his curls, the other was resting her fingertips against his chin, right below their lips. His eyes, were slightly open, looking at her in complete love and adoration. They sat there, looking at the picture together. There was a candid energy to it that captured their crazy relationship together.

"That's a good angle, don't you think? We could put that in the cheesy slideshow before our wedding." Fitz playfully nudged Olivia.

For the first time since the incident, Olivia smiled. It was an unfiltered giggle that erupted across her lips and reached her eyes with its warmth. Fitz watched her as she looked at the picture with the remnants of her amusement evident on her face. Anna watched from across the living room. She could tell that they were gone for each other. There was a way they moved around each other that was so unknowingly in sync.

"So, the media is pursuing this to shed you two in a positive light. Olivia is the damsel in distress, and Fitz is the knight in shining armor. That kind of narrative. Robert Andrews is the scary villain. The public will want to see him put in prison, and that in itself will be a circus show. But back to you two, this was one hell of a way to come out with your relationship. You two are the darlings of Hollywood now. You possess the potential of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, if you play this right. My advice would be to publically wear your relationship out in public. Olivia, your 'I don't talk about my personal life' policy was noble at first, but it won't exactly work anymore. You don't have to tell them what positions you prefer in bed, but you will have to reveal some insight. You can make some of it up, if you want."

"We don't want this to turn into some publicity stunt." Fitz protested.

"It doesn't have to be that way. But if Olivia refuses to talk about it, then people's perceptions of her will change. The best case scenario is that they will label her as boring and move on to the next starlet, or they will label her as an uppity bitch. It is sexist, and I hate it, but that is how it is." Anna smiled sympathetically.

"It is okay. We can do this." Olivia looked at Fitz and gave him a reassuring squeeze of his hand. "So give me a scenario, and tell me what I should say." Olivia turned back to Anna.

"Okay. So imagine Robin Roberts says, 'tell me about how life with Prince Charming has been. How long were you keeping it secret?' You would smile sweetly and say, 'It is incredible. We actually met four years ago. He was one of the first people I knew here in town. We started dating again just a couple weeks ago.'"

"Can we keep the part about us being together four years ago out?" Olivia thought about the article with the false quotes he said about her. She didn't want people digging that up. She didn't want questions about why they broke up.

"Sure. Whatever you want to tell the public, they will eat it up. You control the narrative at this point. The ball is in your court."

Olivia nodded.

Anna pursed her lips, trying to find the right words for what she was about to say, "Now, there is the problem that was created by your dress and how much it revealed. You suffered a nip slip, and everyone saw your undergarments. Fortunately, this is not as big of a deal as you might think. You have been in nude scenes before, so that takes some of the interest away from the public. This will pass over really quickly. Think of Jennifer Lawrence's nudes being leaked last year. The scandal lasted about a week, and she revealed even more. Give it a couple days and the news cycle will stop showing the pictures. The bad news is that the next couple of days will be brutal. Feminist groups and generally decent people will urge others to not look at them because it is exploiting you, but the majority of the public is curious. The comment sections will be filled with perverts. I advise you to not even look at them."

"Okay. I can do that." Olivia agreed. They practiced interview questions and how to react to the public for several hours. At around two AM, Anna left with the dress. Fitz and Olivia watched her car headlights flash through the windows as she pulled away. When the sound of her car was far down the road, Fitz turned to look down at Olivia who had laid down on the couch during the interview practice with her head in his lap.

"You look exhausted."

"Mmmhmmm." Olivia mumbled as she allowed her eyes to close.

"Come on, let's go to bed."

"Mmmkay." Olivia hung her arms around his neck, letting Fitz carry her to the bedroom.

They crawled into bed, and nestled into comfortable positions against each other. With his muscular arms wrapped around her torso, the tragedies that happened earlier that night seemed a million years away.

/

"FUCK." Cyrus growled as he stared at his computer screen. "What the hell is he doing?" The video of Fitz rescuing Olivia replayed itself before him. He slammed his laptop close so hard he thought he might have shattered the screen. He ran a hand through his thinning hair.

 _Fitz was ruining everything. If Olivia has her tiny fingers around his heart, then he can't think clearly. He is weak and he is vulnerable. If they have a messy breakup around the time of the filming of their new project, then the studio would be pouring millions of dollars down the drain. If the break up… They broke up once before..._

Cyrus thought about all of the manipulation he had to do to break them up in the first place. They probably put all of the pieces together. They must _know_ about his involvement. It would only take a well written blog article, or a 'tell-all' with Oprah to reveal the lengths Cyrus goes through to keep the mechanisms of this sordid town well-oiled and functioning. He would be ruined. Business deals would dissolve. His studio would crumble. All of the work he spent his entire life on would be slapped with a red mark and passed on to the recycling ben.

 _That couldn't happen._

Cyrus leaned back in his leather office chair. He regarded Fitz and Olivia's relationship. He tried to figure out why after four years, Fitz would finally reconnect. Then it hit him: _The Golden Globes._ Once Olivia won the Golden Globe, naming her the frontrunner for the Oscar, Fitz was suddenly interested again. It was her success he was chasing now. It was the name recognition. It was the fame factor. Cyrus smiled as he realized the science behind it.

The only way to make them part ways, was to ruin the one thing holding them together—Olivia's success. His multi-billion dollar business depended on it. Fitz would probably even thank him for it sometime far in the future. The voting ballots for the Oscars had just been handed out to Academy members, but were not due for another week.

Cyrus pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number not in his contacts.

"Hey boss. What do you need me for this time?"

"Charlie. Do you still have connections to that computer nerd in Palo Alto?"

/

Olivia laughed uncontrollably as Fitz tickled her sides. She snorted, making her laugh even harder.

"Stop! Stop! Or I won't feed you anymore."

She was straddling his abs in her night gown. In her hand, she held a bowl of grapes that she had been feeding him for breakfast. They agreed to stay in bed all morning, after such an exhaustive night. In some sense, it was them running from their responsibilities. They shared a slice of heavenly comfort in that bed together, and neither one wanted to give it up just yet.

"Okay, okay fine." Fitz dropped his hands from her tummy and rested them on her thighs. He opened his mouth and closed his eyes. Olivia held a grape way up in the air and tried to drop it in his mouth. It bounced off of his nose and landed on the pillow by him. Olivia quickly recovered it and popped it in her mouth.

"Ugh. I feel like one of those Greek gods that does nothing but sit around all day and get fed grapes by a beautiful muse. Except, I've been cursed with a muse that is stubborn as hell, and won't feed me any damn grapes."

"Shutup. You are so corny." Olivia rolled her eyes as she finally slipped some grapes into his mouth.

Olivia set the bowl of grapes on the bedside table as she began to kiss Fitz's neck. She let her lips trace along his jaw to his ear. Fitz moaned as she took his ear lobe between her teeth, tugging it gently. "I can be a good muse, I swear." She breathed into his ear in the sexiest voice she could muster.

"I'm hungry for something else, now. Sit on my face, Livvie." Fitz growled.

He pulled her panties off and Olivia scooted up towards the headboard. She had not done this with Fitz before. They had not even had sex in four years. Fitz kissed her navel and her thighs as she settled into position. Fitz palmed her ass roughly and began to kiss sloppily everywhere but her drenched sex. When he finally flattened his tongue against her slit, she gasped, throwing her head back. He sucked her clit into his mouth, sucking her arousal off of it.

Olivia was in heaven, with a white knuckled grasp on the headboard. Fitz hooked his arms around her thighs, keeping her stable as he licked her pussy. Her animalistic calls motivated him even more. As her breathing became more labored, he knew she was nearing her orgasm. He hummed as he nibbled on her clit, sending her over the edge. She came on his tongue, yelling his name.

Fitz propped his knees up and slid her back to where she was resting against them. The view was breathtaking. Her eyes were shut and her chest was heaving from her pleasure. Her pussy was still exposed to his face. Fitz enjoyed the view, massaging her thighs softly until she could gain the strength to open her eyes.

"Hi." Olivia smiled.

"Hi." Fitz flipped them over so he was settled between her legs. Her wetness still coated his mouth as he kissed her on the lips. "Can you taste yourself, baby? Lick yourself off of my face."

Olivia tasted herself off of his face. She let a hand wander aimlessly down his washboard abs until they settled on his sweatpants. She rubbed his erection through his pants, until it was even firmer than before. Olivia loved the way Fitz groaned into her with each stroke. She used her feet to kick his waistband down.

"Condom." Fitz grunted as he tried to climb off of her and reach for the nightstand.

"Pill." Olivia countered as she tightened her legs around him, pulling him back against her.

Fitz aligned himself with her as he slowly entered, allowing her to get accustomed to his size. Olivia moaned, throwing her head back, but Fitz pulled her chin down to where they were eye to eye. "Tell me when to move."

"Move."

Fitz began to pump slow, tortuous strokes into her. With every stroke, he filled her walls completely, bringing ultimate satisfaction to both of them. It was the familiarity of four years ago combined with the excitement of their future together. Olivia couldn't stop the silent tears sliding sideways down her cheeks. They were tears of happiness. Despite the chaos around her life, she had found her rock.

Fitz kept his smooth pace, hooking her leg over his shoulder to hit her spot. Their moans were even in sync. Fitz could feel his end come soon, so he pulled his cock out to the tip. Finding himself in Olivia's salty eyes, he slammed himself to the hilt into her, sending her spiraling over the edge for the second time that morning. He managed to hold it out until her orgasm finished before spilling his seed into her.

Fitz tried to roll off of her, but she held him close, loving the feeling of his weight against her.

"I like this." Olivia whispered after several minutes.

"What?"

"Doing it without a condom. We never did that before, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. I'm in this for forever, you know." Fitz kissed her temple before pulling out and pulling her against his chest.

"You are my forever." Olivia whispered. She propped her chin on his chest and touched his lips with her fingertips. "Can I ask you an important question?"

"Shoot." Fitz mumbled against her fingers.

"Will you be my official escort to the Oscars?"


	9. Lights and Camera

Lights And Camera—Yuna

Lights, Camera, Struck a pose  
If someone help you put lipstick on  
Yeah high heels, now you're six feet tall  
And everybody knows who you are  
And nobody cares if your heart is aching  
Nobody cares if you want no more  
Nobody wants to know  
You cried the night before

'Cause these lights won't kill me now  
Saying these clothes won't change me now  
Saying these words won't scare me now  
Saying I will be myself  
I will be myself

* * *

The public was eating it up. A simple trip to the farmer's market together had their names trending on twitter, and a flock of paparazzi following them around. They kept their distance, but they still put Olivia on edge. Usually her encounters with paparazzi involved a few polite snaps of her outfit, documenting that she was on a certain side of town, but these were different. There were more of them, and she was acutely aware that their only interest was her relationship with Fitz.

Fitz could sense her discomfort. Even though she wore large, dark sunglasses, she could see her lightly flinch every time one of the photographers crossed the imaginary line of personal space. He alternated between holding her hand as they walked from stand to stand and wrapping his arm around her shoulder when they stopped to peruse the different fruits and vegetables.

"Don't worry." Fitz whispered to where only she could hear. He kissed her temple briefly, "And you are doing a great job."

Olivia paid for her produce as they made their way back to the car. When Olivia and Fitz were safely behind the darkly tinted windows of his car, she took her sunglasses off and sunk into her seat.

"How are you doing?" Fitz smiled sympathetically.

"I'm fine. It's an adjustment, but it is manageable." She put on a brave face. "And it is almost worth it. The paparazzi, I mean. Because, I kind of loved being able to hold your hand in public."

Fitz leaned across the console to kiss her on the lips. He watched a slight blush run across her cheeks as he pulled away. "Yeah, I loved it too." Then, he put the car in drive and drove out of the parking lot.

"At the SAG awards, during a commercial break, I saw you talking intensely with Cyrus. What were you talking about?" Olivia didn't want to sound paranoid and clingy, but she was still wary of Cyrus's presence in Fitz's career. He was still a snake that had to live in their garden for the time being.

"Oh yeah, we got some big financial supporters on the film. I was going to tell you, but then things got hectic, and I forgot about it. But it is huge news. It makes our lives a whole lot easier in the logistics stage of it."

"That's great news." Olivia squeezed his hand.

Fitz's cell phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket to his ear. "Yeah?" He answered without even looking at the caller ID.

"Fitz." Mellie's cautious voice came through the tiny speaker.

"Mellie, what's wrong?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm in the car with Liv. We just left the farmer's market at Melrose."

"I have something serious that I need to talk to you about. Like, urgently." The tone of her voice worried Fitz. It was very rare that Mellie was unnerved by something.

"Of course. Where?"

"At my house. I hate to say this, but could you come alone? It's nothing personal against Olivia, but I just need to talk to you alone."

"Yeah, I'll get there as soon as I can." Fitz hung up.

"What's the matter?"

"It's Mellie. I think she is in trouble of some kind. She sounded strange over the phone."

"Then go be a good friend. I have work to do, so if you could drop me off at my house. Give Mellie my best."

"Thank you."

Thirty minutes later, Fitz was knocking on Mellie's door.

"It's open."

He walked in to find her sitting in her kitchen on a stool. Her face was etched with worry, and her brow was crinkled with concentration. She had a glass of a mysterious alcohol in front of her, which wasn't exactly unusual of Mellie—she could hold her liquor—but it wasn't even lunchtime yet. "What's wrong? Did Andrew…?"

Mellie was beginning an ups and downs relationship with a lawyer from Santa Barbara. Mellie was good for him, but Fitz wasn't so sure if Andrew was going to be good for Mellie. They were having a rocky start, and it was takin a toll on Mellie

"No, no. It is not about him. It is actually about Olivia."

"Olivia? Have the press been bothering you about us?"

"No. It's not that. I have had a couple of questions about us, but I've handled them."

"Then what's wrong?"

Mellie pulled her hair back with a scrunchie and tried to choose her words carefully. "I'm sure you know that Cyrus Beene is pissed off about you and Olivia."

"Yeah, I can imagine that." Fitz sighed as he sat across from her.

"Well, he's a little more pissed than I would think. I think he might be planning something. Something that would hurt you or Olivia or both."

"How do you know?" Fitz ran a hand through his hair in deep thought.

"I don't have anything concrete right now, but I do have some sources that say that something is definitely going on with Cyrus. It could be nothing. He could be scheming or doing whatever he does to control the industry for a completely different reason, but he wary."

Fitz nodded. He knew that Mellie had sources on the inside of every office, and was always the first to know about the latest scandal or gossip. Cyrus definitely had the motive to kill. Fitz and Olivia together on a team posed the biggest threat to his studio and reputation. Especially, with the tidal wave of media and support around their relationship, they were that much more lethal.

"I'll keep my ears to the ground. You do the same. Don't shy away from Cyrus, though. That will alert him. Keep working with him as usual."

"Keep your enemies closer." Fitz grimaced at the expression.

"Exactly." Mellie took a pause, "Are you going to tell Liv?"

Fitz pursed his mouth in thought. If he didn't tell her, she would be mad. Pissed would probably be a better word choice. They promised the relationship transparency. He _owed_ her that much. He could tell her, and it would add to her stress level. She was already under so much pressure with awards season and handling her new public relationship. He often forgot how new she was to this crazy lifestyle. Plus, their relationship was still fragile, slowly bandaging trust over the scars of the past. He didn't want to overwhelm her with the baggage he brought into their relationship.

"No." Fitz decided, convincing himself in his mind he was making the right choice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, or not until we have concrete proof. She's got a lot on her shoulders right now. This could be nothing. There is no need to stress her out."

"Okay."

/

 **A FEW DAYS LATER**

"So, when were you going to tell everybody about you and Fitz?" Abbey took a swig of her vitamin water and crossed her ankle across her knee. They were on a break from filming their movie together. Olivia was becoming closer to Abbey. She was getting used to her loud mouth and dirty sense of humor. Underneath all of that impulsiveness was a really solid person. She could tell that Abbey had a good character, and would make a good friend. Abbey brought out the giddy girliness in Olivia.

"We were _planning_ on after the Oscars. To keep it low key and not make a big deal about, but life had different plans."

"When did any of this even start?" Abbey gasped as she had an epiphany, "Oh, my God. At that charity event at Cyrus's. I mentioned he was staring at you, and you shrugged it off. You dog! You were screwing him then, and trying to keep it quiet." She puffed her chest out at her own discovery.

Olivia wasn't going to fill Abbey on her and Fitz's confusing history so she just smiled coyly. "We weren't _screwing_ at that point, but…"

"You left early, too!" Abbey squealed as she playfully hit Olivia in the arm, "You left to go fuck him. I can't believe it. You are so freaky."

"No!" Olivia was blushing badly, trying not to laugh. "I swear we didn't. That is where we first met." She was going to stick to the story that her and Fitz decided on. They met at Cyrus's house, fell in love fast, and kept it quiet. Simple and unproblematic.

"Whatever. I'm just going to credit myself with sparking it all. You never would have noticed him, if I didn't point him out. You can name your firstborn after me." Abbey smirked in a joking manner.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Or you could go with my middle name, Leila. That would be less obvious. I'd accept either one."

"Your name is Abbey Leila Whelan?" Olivia stifled a giggle. "That is so Scottish."

"Yeah, well, blame my parents for that one." Abbey rolled her eyes as the production assistant called them back to set.

Olivia only had a week of shooting left. She played Abbey's best friend/sidekick/advice giver in the romantic comedy they were making. The role wasn't much, but the film had an adorable premise, so she signed on. Olivia finished her scenes in a week, but the project didn't wrap for another two weeks.

/

After the day wrapped, and Olivia was stepping out of her wardrobe, she checked her phone for messages. She had an e-mail from Anna with a request to be Vanity Fair's April cover girl. She replied with a _hell yes_ , and swiped to her next message from Fitz. He was asking her out to dinner. She hadn't even seen him since the other day when they went to the farmer's market. Their schedules just became unsynchronized, but Olivia was so busy with wrapping up the filming of the movie that she didn't have time anyways. That being said, she was craving some Fitz time. It worried her how much she craved him. She was hooked, and she almost hated it. The back of her mind was pleading with her to take two steps back and one cautious step forward. The rest of her mind and body was losing itself in the way he kissed her neck and trailed his fingers along her ribcage.

Before her mind could wander too far and flush her cheeks, she looked back to the text. She thought back to their day together at the flea market. Would the paparazzi be as psychotic when they are out to dinner? Probably. She didn't want to smile politely and have minimal touching across a table while fifty camera flashes go off around them and a dozen strangers watch them from the corner of their eye.

She texted him back: _I'm exhausted and not that hungry:/ My place? I'll be home in thirty minutes_

Within ten seconds he replied with: _Even better. I'll see you later, love._

Olivia smiled as she cranked her ignition and drove home. Right after she pulled her car into her driveway, Fitz pulled in after her. She immediately hopped out of the car to go greet him. She opened his car door open, and the second he stood up, she jumped him, wrapping her arm around his neck and kissing him squarely on the lips. It took him a moment to recover from the ambush, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back. She moaned into his mouth when he slid his tongue along her lips and then into her mouth. All of the fatigue she felt from working all day dissolved when she was in his arms. Suddenly, a flash accompanied by a soft click of a camera lens came out of the shrubbery across the street.

"Fuck." Olivia groaned as she bowed her head into Fitz's chest and shielded her face. "I've never had them outside of my house."

"Let's go inside." Fitz ran his hand down her arm to comfort her

She chuckled softly as she fixed her hair and composed herself "Yeah, let's do that."

Olivia unlocked the door and they entered into her house. The second the door closed, Olivia jumped Fitz again. This time he met her energy and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He carried her to the kitchen where he set her on the counter. She felt amazing. Her lips were softer than ever, and her body was suggesting things with every moan and caress.

"God, I've missed you." Olivia slipped her hands beneath his shirt, craving the feel of his skin. He shivered when her cold fingertips grazed his abdomen. Her mouth moved from his to his ear, down to his neck. Light enough not to leave marks, but with enough pressure to drive him insane, she nibbled the sensitive area along his pulse point.

Fitz pulled her away from him in an attempt to gain control. He remained in between her legs, with his hands wrapped around her ass and thighs. "You should eat. You have been working all day. You need food."

Olivia smiled devilishly as she pulled Fitz back to her by his reddened ears to where their noses were practically touching. "What if I don't want food?" Her breath tickled his chin as he tried his hardest not to kiss her. She was teasing him, and succeeding at it deliciously.

"Then what _are_ you in the mood for?" Fitz pulled her closer against him by her ass, pressing his erection against her center. _Two could play this game_.

She cocked her head, and looked at the tiny curls of chest hair peeping out of where she had unbuttoned his top button. "I want to take a long hot shower, grab a bunch of blankets, go onto the back patio, start a fire, and curl up against you."

"I think we could arrange that." Fitz grinned as he kissed her bottom lip tenderly.

Thirty minutes later, Fitz had popped a bowl of popcorn and was kindling a fire. Olivia stepped out onto the patio. The air was turning crisp as the sun was setting. She shivered slightly in her pajamas which consisted of one of Fitz's old t shirts that dwarfed her small body and a pair of boy short underwear.

"You can change into something more comfortable if you want." Olivia wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sat down.

"My t shirts look way better on you than me."

Fitz settled on the couch with Olivia in between his legs and leaning back against his chest. He could feel her relax in his arms, sinking further into his body. The sun had just dipped beneath the horizon, but the sky was still a deep blue. He let his hand rest on her stomach beneath the fabric of his shirt. Olivia loved the way he absent mindedly rubbed her tummy like that.

They talked about their days in soft tones, enjoying the quiet intimacy of each other's company. Olivia's phone buzzed, and Fitz reached to grab it off of the table and handed it to Olivia. It was an email from Anna. She opened it, and the picture of Olivia and Fitz eating each other's face in her driveway popped up with an article.

"Damn, people are quick these days." Olivia moaned as she scrolled down to Anna's message.

 _These photos are fantastic. You two have been doing fabulous job. Overall you have had overwhelming support and love from the public._

She switched her phone to silent and set it on the table before sinking back into Fitz's arms.

"How have you actually been lately? With the whole public thing. We haven't really talked about it."

"I have been so busy with work, I haven't noticed much of it." Olivia spoke a little too rehearsed and guarded.

"Bullshit."

Olivia sat up and looked at him with a furrowed brow.

"I know you better than that. You can talk to me."

"I'm fine." Olivia repeated stubbornly. Her eyes narrowed as she dared him to call bullshit again.

Fitz reached forward to touch her arm, but she moved away the slightest bit, to let him know she didn't want to be touched. He sighed and his hand fell limp back to his lap, "Your name is a headline. You are not _fine_. I have grown up my entire life seeing stuff like this happen. Usually my dad was the center of the scandal, and I was always in the corner watching it all. The thing is, that I can't imagine being in your shoes. I have seen firsthand, how people have crumbled from situations like this. I've lost many friends to it. The media crosses too many lines, and the victim feels like that is all that there is…Just the cameras out to catch a bad moment and make a headline, just strangers whose opinions clog up the internet and make themselves to seem like experts on subjects they know nothing about. It is brutal and psychological, and I don't want you to go there. I care about you way too much. I love you, and I'm here for you no matter what. So, talk to me. Let me know what is on your mind. _Trust me._ "

Olivia picked at the cotton of his t shirt and looked at him. She didn't even notice the silent tears that had slipped from her eyelids. They just made their way down her cheeks and left a shiny trail as evidence.

"I feel trapped." Her voice shook with the slightest tremor, unnoticeable to anyone but Fitz. "I feel like I'm living in a glass fish bowl. Like there is no room for mistakes. I could slip up once again, like at the SAG awards, and—"

"What happened at the SAGs was not your fault. You know that."

"I know. It is just a lot of pressure. I'll get used to it, I know. It is just unnerving."

Fitz slowly raised his fingers to her face. This time she didn't move away. Using his thumb, he wiped her tears away.

"You have me. You are not alone, because I am here."

Olivia leaned her head into his large hands softly caressing her face. Fitz was suddenly aware of how worn she looked. She was still beautiful beyond comparison. Her eyes just looked like they begged for some form of peace. He pulled her on top of him, and hugged her tightly against his chest.

"You know I love you more than anything in the world."

"I know." She whispered, this time, letting a happy tear slide out of her eye. She smiled shyly as she wiped it away and nestled into Fitz's side.

"You really picked a cool place to live. One day when we move in together, I would want to move here. We could go swimming when it warms up. We could do that thing in _From Here to Eternity_ where we make out on the beach. I could lie here with you every evening and die a happy man."

"Yeah. When we move in together." Olivia whispered to herself, content with his statement of commitment.

Fitz kissed her hair and brought some popcorn to his mouth. He thought about Mellie's suspicions and the complications of if she was right. With Olivia's petite frame resting on top of his, he wanted to protect her. Just like that. With her head resting against his chest, and her arms tucked around him to steal any body heat from him. He wanted to keep his arms around her, and assure her happiness above anything else forever. She had been through so much already, he couldn't stand to see anything else hurt her.

"What are you thinking about?" Olivia murmured. She lifted her chin on his chest and looked up at him with the biggest brown eyes.

Fitz craned his neck to kiss the tip of her nose, causing her to blush. He hated lying, but he couldn't tell her about his conversation with Mellie earlier. "About us, but, like, twenty years down the road. You'll be, what, 46? We'll have four kids, and—"

"Four kids?" Olivia giggled in mock surprise. "That's a lot of humans to push between my hips." She sat up to straddle his abdomen. She pulled the blanket tighter around her. "How about two."

"Two? How about three?" He slipped his hands under her t shirt to caress her hips.

"Two. Final offer. Take it or leave it." She folded her arms across her chest and smirked.

"Fine. As long as they look exactly like you." He ran his fingers tenderly along the curvature of her hips, as if to imagine the beautiful children they would have together. An intimate silence fell between them. Fitz seemed to be holding his breath in reverence.

Olivia put her hands over his, intertwining her fingers into his. "Hey," she whispered, bringing his gaze up to hers. "I love you."

He smiled a lopsided grin, "I love you."

She leaned down to kiss him as delicately as possible on the lips. She ghosted her lips over his, making him moan lightly at her absence of touch. Her lips trailed a whimsical path along his jaw bone to his Adam's apple. Fitz was acutely aware of every inch of her body pressed against him, and every shift she made intended to drive him crazy.

She slid her panty clad core deliberately across his abdomen to rest over his very prominent erection, making her intentions crystal clear. Fitz tightened his fingers around her hips and halted her gyrating. "Babe, hold on."

"What is it?" Her lust filled eyes connected with his as she sat up.

"We should take this inside."

"No." Olivia brought her lips back to his neck, sucking with more passion. "I want you to take me under the stars."

"I do too." Fitz replied, almost giving in to her addictive body pressing against his. It took every ounce of will power he didn't even know he had to sit up, bringing her upright with him. "But someone could snap a picture."

It was true. Olivia's patio was well shielded from the neighbors by a wall of greenery, but anyone could walk onto the beach and snap a picture from there. They now knew that the paparazzi knew her neighborhood. The beach was private, but all it would take was a bribe to any homeowner around Liv, short stroll up the beach, and a really long camera lens. Fitz knew that the possibility of that happening would be very high, and the last thing he wanted was photos of their private time plastered on the internet.

"Okay. You are right." Olivia nodded as she climbed off of him. "Then let's go inside."

/

Mellie peeked through her curtains as a 2000 Chevy impala rattled into her driveway. She sighed in her nerves as a short, stocky man with a slight scruff and a closely cut haircut step out. He was wearing various shades of grey and he walked with his head bent towards the ground. He promptly approached her door and knocked on it. Mellie waited a few seconds before opening it.

"Huck?"

"Hi." He replied curtly.

"Come in. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No. Thank you."

"Okay, then. Let's get started." Mellie directed him to sit down in the den. Huck pulled his lap top out of his messenger bag and loaded it up. Mellie knew absolutely nothing about this man, other than the fact that he was the most serious hacker and computer genius in California. MIT level stuff. Huck wasn't even his real name. She contacted him to see if he could find out what Cyrus was up to. He called her three hours later, saying he had dirt. This was all for a hefty commission, but Mellie knew that this would be worth it.

"I won't bore you with all of the details, but Cyrus has a guy. A guy like me but smaller, and he lives in Palo Alto. Cyrus's guy has spent the last five years developing a software used to rig electronic voting. Cyrus is using this guy to rig the Academy Awards. He is going to use that to drive a wedge between Ms. Pope and Mr. Grant."

Huck typed into his computer to bring up a screen full of cryptic codes. "Look here." Huck pointed to a where the list of nominees were listed. "This is the writing for the software. For every five times Olivia Pope is voted for, only one vote actually goes to her."

Mellie's eyes widened at the information. "So let's turn him in. We have the proof. All we have to do is call the police."

"It isn't that simple. First off, Cyrus has another guy named Charlie that he uses to contact his Palo Alto Guy. Charlie is scary. Charlie has killed people before. Not only does that make this dangerous, but it distances Cyrus from the situation. We would need to find proof of Cyrus contacting Charlie contacting Palo Alto Guy. Or else Palo Alto Guy will just fall on his sword and Cyrus gets off scotch free. Second off, this proof is inadmissible. It was illegally obtained, and I have no intention of going to jail. We have to find a cleaner way to expose him."

"Okay, what do we need to do?"

"Tell Ms. Pope and Mr. Fitz. I'll come up with a plan to get them on solid proof. Just warn them, and keep your eyes open. Hopefully, we can catch them before the voting ends."

"And if we don't?"

Huck shrugged, "Olivia loses her Oscar and it all gets swept under the rug. Nobody would ever know."


	10. Mine

Mine (feat. Drake)—Beyoncé

Stop making a big deal out of the little things  
'Cause I got big deals and I got little things  
I got everything I'm asking for but you  
Stop making a big deal out of the little things, let's get carried away  
Come right now, you know where I stay

I just wanna say, you're mine, you're mine  
I just wanna say, you're mine, you're mine  
Fuck what you heard, you're mine, you're mine

* * *

"Babe, I love you, but I have to _go_."

"No, you don't."

"I don't?"

"You don't"

"Fi—uh"

Olivia lost her train of thought as Fitz's lips closed around hers. He slid his tongue along her lips, requesting access. Before she knew it, he was pulling her away from the door. She forgot that she had her purse and a script in her hand. She forgot that she had a call to the makeup trailer in twenty minutes. All her mind could focus on was his hands wandering down her body and his bare chest pressed up against hers.

"FITZ." She put her hands on his chest and pushed him an arm's length away. He had a childish smirk on his face.

"What?"

"I'm serious." She was trying to be firm with him. "Today is my last day on set. Then, you can distract me all weekend. Just let me finish this film without being fired."

Fitz sighed, as he held his hands up in surrender, "Fine. Go. As long as you promise I will have you to myself all weekend."

"I promise." Olivia leaned on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck, "All weekend to ourselves, then I get to show you off to the world Sunday."

"Then go get 'em, tiger." Fitz playfully pinched her ass.

Olivia rolled her eyes as she kissed him again and walked out of her house. She sped to the set, hoping to get there before anybody could notice she was late. She loved working on this film, but she was really relieved that it was ending. She was learning her limits as a professional, and she now knew that the last couple of weeks had been stretching her too thin.

She thought about her weekend. Her and Fitz were doing nothing but recuperating Saturday. Sunday, Fitz would be Olivia's date to the Grammy's, which she was honored with the job of presenting an award. Olivia wasn't sure how she managed to get invited to every single major awards show this year, but she wasn't going to protest it. She got to wear beautiful dresses and party with some of her idols. Plus, Sunday would be a great image opportunity with her and Fitz as a public couple.

The work day ended a little late, and Olivia was so anxious to see Fitz, she didn't go home to shower. Olivia figured it wouldn't hurt to shower at Fitz's place… With him. When she pulled into his parking garage, she noticed Mellie's car was parked there. She didn't think much of it as she went up to his apartment.

She entered to find Mellie sitting on his couch, and Fitz standing by the fireplace with an empty glass of scotch. That worried Olivia. Fitz had drinking problems in the past. Mellie told her that it got really bad whenever they broke up. Now, he only stuck to an occasional glass of wine with Olivia. When he had scotch, something had to be really wrong.

"Hey, Mellie." Olivia greeted her warmly. Something was definitely wrong. She went over and kissed Fitz. His lips were short and barely responsive and tasting distinctly of alcohol. "What's the matter? Why have you been drinking?"

"Uh, we have something to tell you. You might want to sit down." Fitz gave her shoulder a soft squeeze before sitting down on the couch with her. Nobody was really saying anything. An awkward silence fell.

"Liv, do you want anything to drink?" Mellie offered, reaching for a glass.

"No." Olivia felt her temper rise out of fear, "I want you two to tell me what is going on."

"Okay, okay." Fitz interjected. He reached and took Olivia's hand in his, clasping it between his two hands. "Cyrus Beene is really pissed about our relationship. He's out for blood. He will do anything to break us apart. He sees us as a threat to his empire." Fitz went to reach for his glass, and Olivia didn't stop him. She just wanted to know what point he was getting to. "Well, Mellie had a friend look into it, and he has a tech guy that specializes in voting fraud."

"Voting fraud? How would that even…"

"The Oscars."

"Oh." Olivia felt a tidal wave of emotion as she realized the direction of the conversation. Cyrus was plotting to ruin them by ruining her chance at success. "I see."

Mellie interjected, "The good news is, we know what he is doing. We have solid proof. My computer guy has hacked Cyrus's guy's software, and has the coding for it and everything. The bad news is that the proof is illegally obtained. We can't use it without sending my guy off to federal prison for twenty five years. So, we have to catch him on tape or on paper."

"Ballots open next week. We only have two weeks until the Oscars."

"Yeah, that's the problem." Fitz bowed his head, then finished his glass of scotch. "If we don't figure something out by then, you lose."

Olivia nodded vaguely as she rested her head in her hands in deep thought. "Can I have that drink you offered earlier?" Mellie poured her a drink. Olivia hated scotch, but he burning liquid calmed her nerves. "So what's the plan?"

Mellie spoke up, "I'm going to go to Cyrus and tell him I know about his plan. But, I'm going to tell him I support it. I'll play Fitz's scorned lover, or something like that. I'll pretend that I'm eaten alive with jealousy of you. I'll be wearing a wire the entire time. All we need is for Cyrus to admit his plan on record, and we can get a warrant to obtain the evidence of the software under legal standards. The L.A. District Attorney is a friend of mine, so he will assist us in bringing Cyrus to justice."

"It's that simple?" Olivia questioned.

"Hopefully." Fitz mumbled, "There is the possibility that Cyrus won't incriminate himself. He's smart. He has a lot at stake here."

Olivia took another mouthful of scotch, fully analyzing the situation. It was a lot to process. Fitz reached for the bottle to pour himself another glass, but Olivia intercepted his hand and placed the bottle further away.

"Fitz, don't. You'll regret it in the morning." She whispered. Her eyes pleaded with his. Even though her world was crumbling, she still had his interests in mind. She wasn't sure what demons came out when he drank, but tonight was not the time to find out.

Eventually, Mellie had to leave to attend a dinner. She hugged Olivia and promised that they would catch him. Her words meant great comfort to Olivia. She left, leaving Olivia and Fitz alone.

"So much for our romantic weekend." Fitz mused, attempting to make light.

Olivia didn't reply. She sat there with her chin in her hand, staring silently at the corner of the room.

"Liv." Fitz slid closer on the couch and set his hand on her back. "We are going to handle this."

"How long have you known about this?" Olivia turned her head to look at Fitz.

"Just today. Mellie just told me an hour before you came home."

"You two didn't talk about this at all before? So this is all as big of a surprise to you as it is to me?"

Fitz sighed. His hand fell from her back to the couch, then to his lap. "Mellie came to me early last week and told me she had suspicions. It was a hunch."

Olivia stood up and paced to the other side of the room. "I can't believe it."

"What?"

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?" Her voice dripped of acid and hurt.

"You are mad because I didn't tell you?"

"Damn right, I am. What part of _transparency_ did you not understand? Or is it only transparent with Mellie?"

"You are jealous that I talked to Mellie about this before you? Liv, Mellie is a friend. We have been friends for far longer than you and I have been lovers."

"No." Olivia yelled incredulously, "I am not _jealous_ about you and Mellie that is ridiculous. I'm _furious_ that you didn't tell me."

Fitz threw his hands up in disbelief and stood. "You have had a lot on your plate. We didn't think that is was a big deal at first. I had no idea Cyrus would try to pull something this sick and twisted on us."

"So I am too naïve for the dirty side of this industry? I'm the new little starlet with no dirt under her nails and no stomach for the reality of Hollywood? So instead, you just told me some bullshit about securing financers whenever I asked. Fuck you."

"What? No. Liv, stop it." Fitz stepped towards Olivia in an attempt to placate her. She jerked away and held her hand up.

"How the fuck am I supposed to trust you like this?" Despite her best efforts, her voice cracked.

"Don't act like this is some big act of betrayal."

"But it is." Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to compose herself. She was a second from either bursting into tears or punching the first thing her fist would make contact with. "Why can't you see that? You hurt me once before, and the only way I let you back into my life, is because you _promised_ me transparency. You promised me. You didn't promise me that you would tell me shit when it only got to a certain level of threat. You promised 100% honesty. But you fucked that up."

"Livvie—" Fitz made another advance towards her.

"No." Olivia backed away and dared him with the deadliest stare to try it again. She grabbed her purse and her jacket. "I'm going to leave now."

"Don't go." Fitz pleaded. "I'm sorry."

"Goodbye, Fitz." Olivia turned her back to him to wipe a tear before it could escape from her eye. She didn't even look over her shoulder as she closed the door quietly behind her.

Fitz stared at the door for a solid five minutes. Finally, he slunk back into the couch and poured himself a generous glass of scotch. He cursed himself over and over as he drank the rest of the bottle. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have fucked up this bad?

/

Olivia drove straight home. She tried not to think about what happened. She wanted space, but space meant her mind wandering without limits. Fitz keeping secrets from her ripped the band-aid of their previous troubles off way too fast. It stung. She was being taken back to four years ago, sitting on the plane to NYC, silently sobbing and trying to breathe.

Olivia didn't doubt that Fitz's intentions were in the right place. She knew that he would never intentionally hurt her. It was the fact that he didn't think it would. He thought it was okay to leave her in the dark. It was mistakes like that that terrified her. They were treading in treacherous waters, being a couple in Hollywood under intense media scrutiny, that wouldn't take much to crumble.

When she got to her house, she purposefully walked passed her wine cabinet. As much as her lips craved the taste of her favorite bottle coupled with the blissful numbness, she was afraid of her actions if she did have a glass or two. Instead, she slipped into her pajamas and turned on the news. She watched the news stories repeat themselves at the top of each hour until her eyes drooped. The weight of her exhaustive week finally forced her into a deep sleep with the television still on.

Olivia woke up eight hours later—more sleep than she was ever used to—in a groggy state. She flipped the television off and rolled out of bed. She debated checking her phone, staring at the black screen for a solid minute. Finally, she powered it up.

She predictably had one message.

 **Fitz:** I am sorry. Call me when you are ready to talk about it

She plugged her phone in to charge and sighed. She wasn't ready yet. She felt gross and dehydrated, like she was in need of twenty showers. She made a goal of the day to recuperate on her own terms. She took a glorious shower, then put on a comfortable cashmere sweater and leggings. Olivia turned on some music to play throughout her house and spent hours cleaning her apartment that had been left in neglect from her extended work hours. The weather was nice and warm outside, so she slid open her back door to let the ocean breeze come through her house.

Around mid-afternoon, her doorbell rang. She set her tea down to answer it.

"Ms. Pope?" A pimply, teenage boy was waiting with a dodgers cap on his head and a vase full of calla lilies.

"Yes?"

"I have a delivery for you." He awkwardly handed over the vase and backed away.

"Uh, thanks."

"No problem." He called over his shoulder as he walked back to his van with a florist shop's logo on the side.

Olivia watched him drive down the street. She turned her attention to the calla lilies in her arms. It was a beautifully modern arrangement with a card. She set the vase on her kitchen counter and read the note.

 _I'm not perfect, but I will never stop loving you_

 _~Fitz_

She put the card in her bedside table drawer to keep for later.

Olivia just couldn't stay mad at Fitz. He hurt her, but she knew that trying to hurt him back was just toxic energy that she couldn't afford to cultivate. She would have to forgive him and move on with him so that mistakes like that would never happen again. She pulled her phone out to call him but then set it back down. She would just wait to see him until tomorrow. She sent him a quick text.

 **Olivia:** We are still on for tomorrow, right? I'll be ready at 3

He immediately responded with:

 **Fitz:** Of course!

Olivia hesitated for a second, and then sent.

 **Olivia:** Thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful.

/

Fitz checked his watch and his appearance in the mirror for the twentieth time. His tuxedo fit perfectly, thanks to Tom Ford. He got ready an hour early, just because he was too anxious about seeing Olivia again. Her texts thanking him for the flowers allayed some of his fears, but he just wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss his apologies onto her lips.

He decided to head to her house anyways. He took the long, scenic route that dipped along the coast to waste some time. He arrived to have her stylist answer the door.

"Come on in." She welcomed him in, "Liv is just getting her makeup finished, she said to wait down here until she is ready. She should be down in about fifteen minutes."

Fitz took a seat on the couch as the stylist scurried off to attend to Olivia. One thing that Olivia always insisted on was that Fitz couldn't see her until her entire look was put together. She wouldn't even let him peek at the dress before it was on her. Fitz saw the flowers he bought her sitting on the table. They complimented the style of her apartment beautifully.

Eventually, Olivia descended the staircase. She was wearing a turquoise dress with a bright African pattern of magenta and yellow across it. The dress had cutouts along her hips. Olivia's hair was down with a slight wave. She stopped on the last step and bit her lip expectantly. "What do you think? It is a step outside of my comfort zone."

"You look amazing." Fitz stammered as he went over to her and pulled her closer to him. "You are amazing. I love it." He carefully kissed her, not to mess with her makeup. With her heels on and the added height of the step, she was almost the same height as Fitz.

Olivia smoothed over the lapels of his tuxedo with her fingers. "I forgive you for not telling me about Cyrus. Just don't let it happen again. I'm an equal. We are in this together, remember."

Fitz looked her in the eyes and smiled, "I don't deserve you. And I swear, it will never happen again."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They shared an intimate giggle.

"We should probably go."

"Yeah."

She took his arm as he led her out to the car. Because of the incident at the SAG awards, Olivia hired a body guard for events. He drove them silently to the Staples Center. The drive was full of stolen glances and smiles. When the car pulled up to the entrance of the red carpet, Fitz kissed her hand. "Let's do this."

The red carpet was as hectic and nerve wracking as usual, but with Fitz's arm wrapped firmly around her waist, and Hal in the corner of her eye, she felt safe. They started out greeting fans and taking pictures with them, until Hal cleared his throat and motioned them on to the actual carpet area.

The camera men were loud and abrasive. _Olivia! Look here! Ms. Pope! Twirl! Give us an over-the-shoulder! You look amazing! Olivia! Can we see the back of the dress? Olivia! Could you look over here? Fitz! Can we get you two together? Great! Mr. Grant! Olivia! Over here! Awesome. Over here! Olivia! Can you give her a kiss? Olivia! Fitz!_

Fitz was sure to always sure to be in contact with her at all times. Whether it was his hand clasped around hers, or his arm pulling her against him for a photo, they were inseparable. Every time he let his hand wander lower on her waist to her ass, he would get a slight nudge and a playful side-eye. She was still a little uncomfortable with displaying their relationship publicly, but when he planted a kiss on her cheek for the demanding cameras, she met his eyes with unwavering love and pride. He was so proud to have her on his arm.

Finally, they moved on to the crowded section where interviews were taking place. Anna met up with them and directed them through the various reporters. Before they entered the building, Olivia's eyes bulged out of her head, and her mouth formed a perfect little "o".

"What?" Fitz asked, becoming concerned.

"Okay, don't turn around, but Beyoncé is standing right behind you." Olivia whispered, blushing.

Fitz smiled at her cute star-struck attitude. "Why don't you go say 'hi'?"

"I can't just go say _hi_ to her! That's insane." Olivia took a deep breath.

"Oh, come on, Liv." Fitz looked over his shoulder, and indeed, Beyoncé was finishing an interview with Ryan Seacrest, and joining Jay Z off the platform. "They are coming right by us."

Olivia's eyes got even wider, causing Fitz to burst into laughter.

"I'll call them over." Fitz raised his arm.

"NO!" Olivia latched to his arm, pulling it down to her side. Her cheeks were flushed with natural blush, "I swear to God. Forget about it, let's go find our seats."

"Okay, babe. Whatever you want." Fitz joked. They waited for the power couple to enter the building before entering behind them.

They stopped by the bar in the lobby for a glass of champagne. Olivia and Fitz mingled with some of the other celebrities before they decided to take their seats. An usher boy led them to their seats. Olivia was surprised to find them on the front row, but she wouldn't complain.

In the middle of a conversation with Fitz, he got a devilish smile on his face as he looked past Olivia.

"What?" Olivia looked over her shoulder to find an usher showing Beyoncé and Jay Z to their seats, which happened to be right next to Olivia. Her head snapped back around as a look of panic crossed her face. "What do I do?"

Fitz grabbed her hand and squeezed it encouragingly, "It'll be fine."

Olivia took a big breath and stood up to face her idol. "Hi." She awkwardly whispered, unable to find words.

"Hello, Jay and I saw _Underground Kings_ just the other day, and you were amazing in it." Beyoncé's low, calming voice soothed Olivia's nerves. Beyoncé pulled Olivia into a warm embrace. Fitz shook Jay Z's hand. Olivia's head was swimming in the best way possible.

"Thank you. That means so much." Olivia surprised herself with how collected she was. On the inside she was screaming. "I hope you win tonight. Your visual album is brilliant." A photographer came up and asked to take their picture together. After he scurried off to find another celebrity interaction, they sat down. Beyoncé was surprisingly chill and very down to earth. Jay Z was cracking jokes.

It was finally time for Olivia to present the award for Best New Artist. Fitz was standing with her backstage as she was being announced. He brought her chin to his and locked her lips in a lingering kiss. "I love you. Now, go get 'em."

Olivia nodded and stepped out into the bright lights and applause.

Afterwards, they decided to attend an after party. Olivia danced with Fitz on the dance floor. The DJ played classics and Olivia was sure she had never laughed as hard as she did that night. After they exhausted their feet, Fitz and Olivia settled into a round booth with some others. Olivia kicked her heels off and laid her legs across Fitz's lap.

They relaxed, sipping cognac and champagne. Olivia would occasionally plant a kiss on Fitz's jaw or neck. The party was low key enough, but there were still columnists from major blogs and magazine photographers going around and taking occasional photos. The lights were dim, and Olivia was sure that the photographers were too busy snapping pictures of the drunken stars dancing vivaciously on the dance floor to worry about them nestled away in their corner. She was beginning to not care about their image and PR. She loved him unconditionally and she didn't care who knew. Plus, his hand slipping in and out of the cutouts on her dress urged her on.

The DJ slowed down the mood to "Earned It" by The Weeknd.

"Oh, I love this song." Olivia whispered into his ear, placing a delicate kiss on his earlobe. "Let's dance."

Fitz helped her up as they took to the dancefloor again. They danced amongst couples, twirling and kissing. Olivia laid her head on his chest and he kissed her hair. When the song ended, Fitz whispered into her ear, "Do you want to get out of here?"

She nodded, stepping back and kissing him briefly. They motioned for Hal, who was standing along the wall the entire time, to go get the car. Olivia and Fitz said goodbye to some of their friends and exited the club venue.

When they were buckled in, Hal pulled onto the highway to Olivia's house.

"Come here." Fitz whispered in the backseat. Olivia unbuckled her seat belt and slid across the seat to lean against him.

"I love you, you know." She whispered as she kissed his knuckles.

"I know."

Olivia was asleep by the time they reached her house. Fitz carried her upstairs, despite her sleepy protests, zipped her out of her dress and jewelry, and tucked her in.


	11. No Role Modelz

TW: racial slurs

No Role Modelz—J. Cole

Fool me one time shame on you  
Fool me twice, can't put the blame on you  
Fool me three times, fuck the peace signs  
Load the chopper, let it rain on you  
Don't save her  
She don't wanna be saved  
Don't save her  
She don't wanna be saved  
Don't save her  
She don't wanna be saved  
Don't save her  
She don't wanna be saved

* * *

Mellie picked a piece of lint off of her jeans before entering the building. She was acutely aware of the wire snaking up her torso, connected to a pocket sized transmitter in her back pocket, covered by her long sweater. Huck had wired her up an hour ago, warning her of how to move her body naturally so she wouldn't reveal herself. He was sitting across the street listening in an unremarkable van with a generic delivery logo on the side of it. Where he got it from, she had no idea, but she was learning not to question too deeply into his methods.

Once she was inside the elevator alone, she took a deep, calming breath. This was nothing more than an acting gig. She just had to play to role, get the information, and save her best friend's relationship. The elevator dinged open. She smiled politely at the secretary.

"I've got a 2:00 with Cyrus Beene."

The lady pressed a button, buzzing into Cyrus's office.

"Mr. Beene, Your 9:00 has arrived."

Through the grainy speaker, she heard Cyrus say, "Send her in."

The secretary nodded her on.

"Thank-you."

Mellie walked into the impressive office. Despite being in a modern building, the room had a distinct style that would fit in more at an Ivy League school… or your dead grandfather's study. The furnishings were of mahogany and rich maroons and greens. He had classical artwork on the walls. Leather bound first editions lined the walls in dusty book cases. The large windows on the far side were covered in intricate curtains, letting little natural light in. The room seemed to suffocate her, but she smiled politely and went to greet Cyrus who was leaning against his desk

"Mellie. Long time, no see. How have you been?" His voice was thick with expected politeness.

"Great, fantastic. How about you? You have three films in the running for best picture, that's a big deal."

"The odds are in my favor, aren't they?" Cyrus chuckled in good humor. "Well, take a seat. What can I do for you?"

She sat across from his expansive desk. "It's about Olivia Pope."

The smile on his face became even more forced, "What about her?"

Her fake smile disintegrated, and her figurative claws came out. "I want her gone."

Cyrus didn't change his expression as he went to sit down behind his desk. Mellie took it as her cue to continue.

"I know about her and Fitz's little _fling_ a couple years ago. I also know about your involvement in their demise."

Cyrus shifted uncomfortably. His mind was whirling, trying to save face. "Now, listen here. I don't know what Grant has been telling you, but I had _zero_ involveme—"

"Just listen." Mellie cut him off. "Don't try to act like you aren't above meddling in two kids' relationship. Come on, I've been around you for long enough to know that you would fuck them over."

Cyrus held his chin in his hand as he regarded Mellie with a cold glare. "Your point?"

"I'm not angry. I'm not coming here to yell at you or slap your wrist. In fact, I want to thank you. Because you snapped Fitz's poor, delicate little heart in half, he came running to me. It was me who healed him, and built him back up to the man he is today. It was all going well, until that bitch Olivia weaved her way back into his life. I spent all of my effort loving him, and she can't just steal him away." Mellie paused for a dramatic effect. She was killing it, and to be honest, having a little fun at it. "It is supposed to be me and Fitz on the red carpet holding hands, and kissing for the cameras. It has always been that way. That was the plan. We were eventually going to marry and have kids to be third generational filmmakers."

Mellie stopped, feigning her emotional vulnerability.

"But… I am also smart enough to see how you would benefit from their separation. Fitz isn't himself when Olivia is in his arms, and that will hurt you the most when you two embark on this new project. Do you want to have to go through the same thing as before? His judgment blurs and his priorities flip flop."

"I see your point." Cyrus said. "But what do you expect me to do about it? Why are you here?"

"Like I said, I'm smart. And, I see this as a partnership opportunity. Don't play the virgin who has never gotten her fingernails dirty, because I know you better than that. We need to find a way to take them down. I am on the inside. Olivia loves me, and Fitz is still my closest friend. You are on the outside, and let's be honest, you are the most powerful man in the business. Don't tell me we aren't the most deadly pairing."

Cyrus nodded in thought for a moment, "So what do you propose?"

"I don't know yet. But tell me you are on board, and we'll figure something out." She stood and extended her hand. Cyrus reluctantly took it. Even though she knew she was pretending, she still felt like she was selling her soul to the devil. The devil named Cyrus Beene.

She exited, and texted Huck.

 **Mellie:** meet me around the block in the parking garage.

When he pulled the van next to her car, she rolled her window down.

"So?"

"It's a start." Huck nodded curtly.

/

Olivia could feel herself being moved. She felt a pair of hands gently roll her over onto her back, and she instantly knew who these hands belonged to. Her mind bit against her haziness to focus on the warm breath against her cheek, followed by a delicate kiss. Her eyes refused to open as she reached out and found his curls from memory.

"What time is it?" She mumbled, which more than likely came out as a jumbled mess.

Fitz laughed softly as he kissed her nose. "Good morning, babe. It's a little past nine."

With that, her eyes flew open. "Nine? Shit." She struggled to get up, but Fitz held her down firmly.

"Wait, before you freak out about oversleeping and rush out of the door, let me do this." He smoothed a strand of bed hair off of her face and kiss her lips. When Olivia parted her lips, he wasted no time deepening the kiss with his tongue. He withdrew to see the picture of perfection. Olivia with her eyes closed, lips parted, chin angled slightly up, and her face free of any makeup. She looked like an angel.

"Okay, go forth and panic." Fitz pulled the covers back, and allowed Olivia to slip out and sprint towards the bathroom.

"Could you send a text to Anna and tell her I'm running late? Tell her I should be there by 9:45ish" She called from the bathroom. He heard the shower turn on as he reached for her phone to complete her orders. The background on her phone took him by surprise. It was a photo of them from the Grammy's. They were sitting in their seats, Fitz's hand was resting casually on her knee, and she was looking at him with unfiltered love in her eyes. The photo was so beautifully simple, but it showed their quiet appreciation for each other.

He decided to go ahead and get ready. He handed Olivia a towel as she was getting out of the shower, wrapping it around her. They worked around each other in the bathroom, settling into their patterns. As Fitz rinsed his toothbrush off, he watched Olivia pulling her hair back into a quick ponytail.

"I have some exciting news." Fitz grinned.

"Spill." Olivia said as she started on her makeup.

"But this information is super sensitive. You can't tell a soul, or else my ass will be killed."

Olivia rolled her eyes at his dramatics, "Who am I going to tell?"

"I got a phone call from RocNation this morning. Jay Z wants me to direct his next music video." He laughed as Olivia's mascara wand stopped poised in the air and her jaw dropped.

"Wow, that's incredible." She beamed as she composed herself and continued her makeup. "I didn't know he had any music coming out."

"That's where the secrecy part comes in. They won't tell me anything about it. I have a meeting tomorrow in New York, though, so I'll have to fly out tonight. I'll be back the day after tomorrow."

"I'm so proud of you, this is huge. Have you ever done a music video before?"

"No, but I've always wanted to. Plus, I've always dug his music, so it should be like a dream come true."

"Maybe with you on the other side of the country for a couple of days, I will actually get up on time. There will be nobody to wear me out." Olivia smiled coyly through the mirror.

"Don't act like last night wasn't worth it." Fitz smirked as he closed the difference between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed Olivia's exposed neck. He let his hands shamelessly slip between the silky fabric of her robe. "Can I get you anything for breakfast?"

Olivia allowed herself to sink into his arms a little bit before side-eyeing the wall clock. "I don't have time. Thanks, though."

Fitz nodded and kissed her again before exiting the bathroom. He went to the closet to pull some clothes out. They made a major step in their relationship when they made the agreement to make space for each other's stuff at their apartments. Fitz knew it would be a while before she was ready to take the step to move in together, but this was a huge deal in his eyes. He smiled at the image of his clothes next to hers. He wondered how many t shirts he would lose to this arrangement. He didn't mind, but there was no sweeter torture than putting on a shirt that smelled of her sweet perfume, and not being able to touch her immediately. He was also convinced that there was nothing sexier than coming in to her wearing nothing but his shirt, waiting with a bottle of wine on the couch.

He dressed and went into the kitchen to cut up some fruit. He put it in a Tupperware and held it out for Olivia who was powerwalking out of the door. "You need to eat something."

"Thanks." She took it and kissed him on the mouth. She paused, in his arms, "What time does your flight leave?"

"Seven. I'll be getting in early the next morning with the time change."

"Let me drive you to the airport."

"Okay."

"Okay." She smiled, and allowed him to kiss her before bolting out of the door.

/

Cyrus sat at his desk and poured himself a bourbon. He thought about Mellie standing in his office moments earlier. She would prove to be a valuable asset. If he let her in on his plan to rig the votes, she would be able to give him a temperature report on Fitz and Olivia's relationship. She would plant seeds of doubt in Fitz's mind about Olivia. _Was she really worth it? Would her success last past 15 minutes? How bad would his career suffer from her loss?_ The possibilities were endless.

He buzzed his secretary.

"Yes, Mr. Beene?"

"Can you call Mellie and schedule an appointment? Don't call her until after lunch. Try and schedule it for tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

 _Click._

/

 **News commentator #1:** I, personally, love the statement they are making with this.

 **News commentator #2:** Statement? I'm sure they aren't in this relationship with the mindset of 'let's make a political statement here'

 **News commentator #1:** Well, I didn't mean it like that, but I do think it is time for more diversity in Hollywood, and I believe that begins with biracial relationships

 **News commentator #2:** Don't get me started on that argument. Biracial relationships are _not_ the cure for racism in America. But I will give you that Hollywood is in desperate need of diversity. With Olivia being the only African American _at all_ this year, I don't think that the Academy could make it any more clearer that they are out of touch with the times. Especially with all of the other fantastic performances and technical works produced by people of color this year. There is just no excuse.

 **News commentator #1:** Exactly. But we have seen an absence in truly authentic biracial relationships. No shade to Iman and David Bowie, but their prime was in the 90s. Taylor Diggs and Idina Menzel just split recently. I mean, we have Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, but I don't think anyone wants them to be the representatives of our progression in race. With Olivia's pending, but inevitable, Oscar win around the corner, and Fitz's already established fame through his royal lineage, I just think that they are really good candidates. Even with their dramatic beginning at the SAGs, they looked genuinely happy and in love at the Grammy's. I think they are the real deal.

 **News commentator #2:** I do think that Olivia and Fitz are a breath of fresh air. I wish them the best with their lives together.

 **News commentator #1:** Join us after the break as we discuss who will be the next host of the _Daily Show_ after Jon Stewart's resignation.

/

Olivia sat in the corner an obscure coffee shop. A pile of about twelve movie scripts sat on the table across from her. She sat, drinking her raspberry tea, tucked away in a corner booth by herself. As she slowly digested each one, she would stack them into a _no_ pile and a _possibly_ pile. Olivia liked to read scripts in public places so she could people watch in between, and imagine the strangers were her cast mates. After number four, Anna stopped by with five more to drop off.

"How's it going? Any winners?"

Olivia sighed at the growing _no_ pile. "Nope. None so far."

"Ah, well, you may be the IT girl, but you still have to read through the crappy scripts." Anna joked and tapped the _no_ stack, "I can take these back to the studio if you want, and let the producers know already."

"I think I'll hold on to them for now. I'll drop all of them off by tomorrow, unless I finish them here."

"Good luck." Anna exited.

Olivia ordered another cup of tea and started on script no. 5. Some of her offers were impressive. Directors such as Spielberg and Gary Marshall were all in the stack, along with very generous salaries promised. It was flattering, for sure. Olivia sat there for hours reading them, looking for a spark, but couldn't find one. When she finally flipped the page of the last one, the _no_ stack was dominating her table. She sighed as she stared at the table. She definitely wanted a challenging role, something that pushed her forward and would let her expand as an artist.

Frustration set in as she pulled out a napkin and began to map out the archetypes she had already portrayed in past films…Inner city teen…Seductress…Inner city teen…Side-kick… Slave…Witty side-kick…Inner city adult. Then she made another column of the roles she was being offered. All of them were the same type-casted characters. The alarm on her phone sounded, letting her know it was time for her to go pick up Fitz. She crumpled the napkin up and gathered her scripts to carry out of the coffee house.

She picked Fitz up and they drove to the airport together. They made small talk, but Olivia was a little more quiet than usual. Fitz could tell that something was bothering her, but she wasn't letting on. Finally, he just came out and asked her.

"Livvie, what's wrong?" Fitz reached across the console to rub his hand along her knee. She shot him a glance out of the corner of her eye before focusing back on the road.

"Nothing, I just had a rough day today."

"Tell me about it."

"I finally sat down to look through all of the script offers I have been getting lately, and none of them…clicked." Olivia sighed as she laced her fingers through his hand.

"You'll find one, I promise. Stuff always pops up." Fitz squeezed her hand comfortingly. "I can keep my ear to the ground and see if there are any limited casting calls that are being held in secret. What are you looking for?"

"I don't know, I just want something _different_. I want to grow my resume."

Fitz nodded, "I'll keep an eye out."

"Thanks." Olivia pulled into the drop off zone at LAX and parked the car.

Olivia opened her trunk for Fitz to get his bags out. He set them down on the ground, and pinned her lightly against the car.

"I love you." She smiled in a sing-song voice that warmed his heart. Fitz kept one hand on her waist as he used the other to draw her face up to his.

"I love you too, my Livvie." He whispered against her lips before kissing her bottom lip softly. Her body immediately reacted to him, as Olivia went on her tip toes to deepen the kiss and pressed her body against his. Olivia's stomach growled, breaking their kiss. She pulled away, embarrassed.

"Sorry."

"When was the last time you ate?" Fitz let his hands fall to her sides.

"Uh… This morning, I guess."

"Liv, you need to be eating. You can't run off of a cup of fruit all day." Fitz let concern creep into his voice.

"I know, I know. I just was so busy." Olivia dismissed it and hugged him briefly. "Good luck with tomorrow. Call me and let me know how it goes."

/

Mellie buttoned her final button, covering the wire. Cyrus had called her back the day she had visited him, and asked if she would see him today. She sat in the back of Huck's van, which was surprisingly a high tech display full of computers, monitors, and confusing wires. Huck typed nimbly into a keyboard and put some headphones over his ears.

"Okay, snap your fingers in front of your chest."

Mellie obeyed orders. Huck nodded.

"Now put this earpiece in your ear. With your hair down, you can't see it. Just don't pull your hair behind your ear. I'll communicate with you through it, but only if completely necessary. There. You are good to go."

Mellie exited his van and got in her car. She drove around the block to Cyrus's office and exited. When she arrived, the secretary immediately ushered her into Cyrus's office.

"Charlotte, I won't be taking any phone calls or visitors." Cyrus called from his office

"Yes sir."

Mellie entered the office. There were two men. One was leaning against the bookshelf with a lollipop hanging out of his mouth. He had an unsettling smirk on his face that bothered Mellie. He wore a grey polo with a black leather jacket. She noticed his right knuckles were bruised and bloodied, like he had just engaged in a fight. The look in his eyes made her think that he won. She turned her attention to the other man sitting in a chair. He had dark curly hair and a pair of glasses he kept nervously pushing up his nose. He was dressed in a clean short sleeved button down, tie, and khakis. He couldn't be older than twenty four. He barely made eye contact with Mellie, shifting his gaze to the floor, then to Cyrus.

"Have a seat, Mellie. We have a lot to talk about."

"So you have considered my proposition?" Mellie kept her voice firm and confident, as she sat down in the chair adjacent to the shifty young man.

"Even more. I want to introduce you to Jesse. He is Silicone Valley's best kept secret. He is the type of guy that the North Koreans are dying to have on their team."

Jesse extended his hand and spoke a meager, "pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Mellie shook his hand, before turning her attention back to Cyrus. "And how is he going to help us?"

"Jesse developed a software that rigs electronic votes. He is going to rig the Academy Awards voting. For every five votes that go to Olivia, she will only receive two. The other three will go to a candidate of my choice. It makes it impossible for her to win. And, if Olivia doesn't win, then that pokes unimaginable holes in her and Fitz's relationship."

"What is my part in it?" Mellie asked. She was trying not to grin. Cyrus just gave himself away. Just like that. He was going to go to jail. Just like that.

"You are my inside man. You report to me the acidity of their relationship over time. You will also need to do your best to break them up. Tell Fitz that her career is spiraling down, and Olivia will hold him back. If he hangs on to that box office poison, his career will be ruined too. Maybe even show him the statistics of what those fame hungry nigger monkeys like Olivia do once they latch onto a successful celebrity like himself. Do whatever, just get the point across."

It was all Mellie could to not flinch at the racial slurs Cyrus just dropped. She kept her composure and smiled sweetly, "I can do that. After all, I am an actress."

The man leaning up against the wall chuckled and twirled the lollipop in his mouth.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Cyrus motioned over towards the man. "This is Charlie."

Mellie knew right off of the bat that Charlie was not his real name.

"I think of him as an insurance policy, but he prefers the term pitbull. Charlie is here to make sure that you don't have any second thoughts or try any funny business."

"Understood." Mellie's voice turned grave as she made eye contact with Charlie. "I have just as much at stake here as your boss. You won't get any trouble from me."

Charlie just smirked a little harder and sucked on his lollipop, making Mellie's skin crawl, but she kept her act together.

Cyrus motioned for her to stand as he walked her out of the office. "Just do your part, and wait for February 22."

Mellie rushed out of the office. She couldn't get to the parking garage fast enough to Huck. When she climbed into the back of his van, he was doing something she had never seen him done before: smiling. More like grinning cheesily. He held up a jump drive.

"Got it."

"So what does this mean?" Mellie carefully unwired herself.

"Take this to your friend at the justice department. Turn him in. Do it quickly, though. The longer we wait, the more time Charlie has to find out about this. Charlie is not a guy you want to meet in a dark alley…"

"I got that impression in person."

"…or in broad daylight either."


	12. On The Run

Part II (On the Run) Feat. Beyoncé—Jay Z

Deeper than words, beyond right  
Die for your love, beyond life  
Sweet as a Jesus piece, beyond ice  
Blind me baby with your neon lights  
Ray Bans on, police in sight  
Oh, what a beautiful death  
Let's both wear white  
If you go to heaven and they bring me to hell  
Just sneak out and meet me, bring a box of L's

* * *

Fitz stared out of the skyscraper at the collection of buildings. He studied on the details of the architecture and what made each building unique and similar. Twirling his phone in his hand, he checked the time once again. _8:45_. It was 5:45 in Los Angeles. Despite only getting five hours of sleep on the plane, Fitz felt wired. His nerves were flip flopping, but at least adrenaline was flowing through his veins. He checked his phone again. Olivia wouldn't be up yet. She was probably fast asleep in his shirt with her hair spread about her like a halo. He dialed her number anyways.

-Good morning.

-Liv?

-Fitz.

-Why are you up so early?

-My bed is cold.

-I miss you.

-I miss you too.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

-Have you already checked in to your hotel?

-Yeah, I'm a little early to the meeting. I'm waiting in the lobby

 _Silence_

-You are nervous, aren't you?

-Yeah, a little bit.

-You are going to be great. You are great. They are going to love you.

Fitz looked out at all of the skyscrapers, and imagined taking Olivia on a vacation to NYC. She had spent more time there than him. She would probably take him around all of the streets, showing off where she made memories at Julliard. Maybe they could go in the winter so they could huddle in boutique bars and keep their hands warm in each other's coat pockets.

-What are you wearing?

He could almost hear her biting her lip.

-Your USC t shirt.

-And?

-And?

-Panties?

Olivia paused. Fitz held his breath.

-No panties.

Fitz's breath came out in a sharp exhale that was borderline a moan. Vision after vision of her lying in the bed just like she probably was in that moment flooded his mind.

-I should probably go before you distract me too much.

-You started it.

Olivia was half giggling

-I love you. Try and get some more sleep.

-Okay bye

 _Click_

He looked around at the décor of the lobby for the hundredth time. It was all white with an occasional black accent. An occasional platinum record was peppered between the art that he was sure had a worth of a fortune. Then, a woman came out to send Fitz into the conference room.

/

Four hours later, Fitz walked out of the conference room with a stack of artwork and concepts under his arm. He couldn't have imagined it going better than it did. He now knew that Jay Z was putting the final touches on his last album. He wanted Fitz to film a short fifteen minute piece to be the true bookend to Jay Z's career. Fitz almost choked on his water when he told him that he was retiring. He would continue his business dealings and even guest verses on other rappers' songs, but this was his last album.

They played rough cuts from the album as they mapped out what Jay wanted from the film. Fitz proposed that they divide it up into three parts, a nostalgic love letter to the music industry, a fun middle piece celebrating Jay Z's accumulated power and influence, and a final segment highlighting his family and laying peace to his entire career. It was going to be regal, visually stunning, and brilliant.

Fitz had to sign a confidentiality agreement, and could only take a few things with him from the meeting. After the Oscars, he was going to fly back and start the official pre-production stage. Until then, he just had to research and plan on his own. When he got to the elevator, he shook Jay Z's hand one more time.

"Why did you choose me for this? I'm honored, but you must have a crew of trusted directors, or career music video directors."

Jay Z just laughed and clasped Fitz on the shoulder. "Naw, man. I like your style. Don't question it."

The elevator dinged open and Fitz stepped inside.

He forgot that the February weather in New York City mimicked death, as he stepped out into the ice cold street. He flipped the collar of his trench coat up to block the wind as he walked, looking for the nearest coffee shop or café. He ducked into a café and ordered a steaming bowl of soup. He pulled his cell phone out and called Olivia. She answered on the first ring.

"How'd it go, big shot?" Her voice came through the speaker like music

"Great. It went great." Fitz beamed. "But that is all I can tell you. This is all top secret stuff, so I had to sign a confidentiality agreement." Fitz began to sip some of his soup. The warmth of the liquid made his jet lag hit him like a truck. He crossed his ankle across his leg and fought a yawn.

"Well I'm glad that it went well. I told you they would love you." There was an odd cheerfulness to Olivia's voice.

"So how has your day gone? What have you been up to?"

"Actually, I have some good news."

"Spill it."

"Mellie just came over. She should probably say it. Hold on, I'm putting you on speaker."

Fitz heard Olivia fumble with the phone before Mellie's voice came on.

"Fitz, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"We got him!" Mellie squealed.

"What?" They sounded a little tipsy or just really ecstatic about something.

"We got Cyrus. He incriminated himself! Not only did he admit to his plan on tape, but he also used racial slurs referring to Olivia!"

Fitz felt the hairs on his neck rise when he heard that last part, "Racial slurs? What the hell did he say?"

"He called me a 'fame hungry _n-word_ monkey'." Olivia spoke up. Fitz could tell from her tone that she had probably also consumed a couple of glasses of wine.

"Why do you sound happy about that?" Fitz felt his temper rise. It was probably a good this he was 3,000 miles away, or he would be 15 minutes away from pounding Cyrus's face in.

"Because, Hollywood is racist as hell, but nobody will believe you until you are caught saying the _n-word ._ " Olivia grinned through the phone, "Now, we _really_ have him. Prison might suck for him, but wait until the news organizations put his racist ass on blast. He's ruined."

"Good." Fitz muttered. "So, what's the next move? How are you going to go about this?"

Mellie was the next to speak, "Because I am on the tape conspiring with Cyrus and talking bad about you two, I will take the tape to the David Rosen over at the DA's office, and explain that I was baiting him along."

"Then, David will make the arrest, and selected parts of the tape will be leaked to the press. That way, Mellie doesn't go down and CNN can have a field day." Olivia said triumphantly.

"That is fantastic. When are you going to Rosen?"

"I figured I would go today. Cyrus has some sketchy accomplices that can't find out about this, so it would make me sleep easier tonight if the evidence was in the hands of the government. I won't let them release it or make an arrest until you are back in town. I don't want the media scrutiny to happen while you two are on the other side of the country."

Olivia spoke next, "Speaking of which, what time will your flight be getting back?"

"My plane gets in at 10:00 tomorrow morning. I figured tonight I would walk around Brooklyn and Manhattan and try to get some visuals and inspiration."

"I'll be there to pick you up."

"Thanks." Fitz took a couple more spoonfuls of his soup. "I'm feeling pretty jet lagged. I might go back to my hotel and take a nap before going out tonight."

"Okay, baby. Call me later."

"Will do. Bye Mellie."

"Bye Fitz."

 _Click_

Fitz paid for his soup and bundled up again before stepping out into the harsh cold. He took a taxi to his hotel, where he lied down for a lengthy nap. He woke up around 5. He put on an extra layer, just to be safe before going back outside. He took his favorite 35mm camera with him. He knew that the industry now revolved around digital, but there was something special about shooting on a film camera. It made every photo more special.

He took a taxi to Brooklyn. He told the driver to let him out wherever. Fitz put his headphones in his ears, playing the _Reasonable Doubt_ album and wandered around aimlessly. Every time he saw an interesting architecture or person, he would snap a picture and move on. He was amazed by the amount of graffiti that held major artistic merit.

As he walked past a string of small shops, one caught his eye. It was a jewelry store that wasn't any wider than an alleyway. It was wedged between two dirty apartment buildings, but the store looked like it belonged on 5th Avenue. Something about the store reminded him of Olivia. He stepped inside. He perused the different jewelry options. A tightness in his chest hit him when he saw the engagement rings.

 _One day._

He quickly moved on, emotion building in his stomach. He saw a simple rosy gold band with two hoops making it into an infinity symbol. _Livvie_. He could just see it on her finger. It looked like something she would wear with everything. It was simple and classy. He knew nothing about fashion or jewelry, but he knew he had to get it for her.

"Hello, can I get this one right here?"

A tiny girl with a long brown braid pulled to the side skipped over to pull it from the display case. She wrapped a box and put a business card in with it. Fitz paid for it, and thanked the girl.

"My pleasure, Mr. Grant."

Fitz shot her a polite smile before going back out into the street. He forgot that now he was a household name. After saving Olivia from the attacker at the SAGs, his face was on the cover of every gossip magazine for two solid weeks. He didn't mind it. Most people in Los Angeles knew him anyways, but it took him off guard sometimes.

He watched the sun set over the Brooklyn Bridge before going to eat dinner by himself. He took a taxi back to Manhattan. He decided to buy himself a Julliard sweatshirt. Olivia would get a kick out of that. It was something she was intensely proud of, graduating from the top drama school in the nation, she just never said it. Certain connotations of snobbery and elitism came with it, but he knew that it meant a lot to her.

His plane left at 6 the next morning. He wanted nothing more than to get back to Olivia. He missed her like crazy, and with all that was about to happen with Cyrus, he wanted to hold her more than anything. He opened the curtains on his luxury hotel room at time square. After downing a scotch from the minibar, he fall asleep watching the never ending lights blink in the city that never sleeps.

/

"So, will you work with me on this?" Mellie crossed her legs as the taping of Cyrus ended.

The thirty seven year old David Rosen stared at his computer with his eyes wide. "Are you fucking kidding me? You just walked in here with the biggest shit to pass through this office since OJ Simpson. This is beautiful. Do you know how many people would kill to put Cyrus Beene behind bars? Do you know how many gift baskets and bottles of fine wine will be delivered to my doorstep if I make this happen? If I arrest Cyrus Beene, I could take the Governor's mansion in a landslide. I could be president by 2020. Hell yes, I'll help you."

Mellie rolled her eyes and laughed at his humor. Nobody ever wanted to take him seriously because he was such a goofball, but there was a reason why he was L.A. County's District Attorney. He had a running metaphor that he was always wearing the "white hat" that he always used in his re-election campaigns. Nobody could deny his talent as a lawyer.

"How white is your hat, now?" Mellie joked.

"It's fucking blinding at the moment." David opened a notepad and started making notes.

"But you have to promise me that I will be protected throughout this. Or else, I will go to Brenda across the hall."

"Don't you dare. What protection do you want?"

"I don't want my name anywhere in this, negatively. Here is a version that you can leak to the press. It has no traces of me in it. Since, I said some false and harmful things in the original copy, make it known that I was acting and don't have those sentiments towards Olivia and Fitz."

"Yeah, no problem."

"Also, don't arrest him until at least noon tomorrow. Fitz is out of town, and I want him to be home before the news drops."

"Understood."

"Oh, and here is the address of the apartment Jesse has rented while he is in L.A. That is his Palo Alto home." Mellie slid a piece of paper across the desk.

"Can I kiss you?" David asked as he stared at the paper.

"No."

"Can I hug you?"

"Nice working with you." Mellie stood and shook his hand. "The streets of LA will sleep easy tomorrow night."

"No they won't. The reporters will be clawing at my door."

"Don't act like that isn't what you dream about at night." Mellie quipped as she walked out of his office.

She walked out of the building to her car. Just as she was about to get in, she saw a figure leaning up against a car across the street. She made eye contact with him, and gasped when she realized it was Charlie. He was sucking on a lollipop, smirking just like before. She quickly got in her car and dialed Huck's number.

"Huck?"

"What."

"Charlie knows. He knows, and now I'm freaking out."

"Where are you?"

"At the D.A.'s office. He saw me come out. He is still staring at me from across the street. I'm in my car though."

"Are your windows tinted?"

"Yes."

"Okay, listen to me. Hang up on me and call David from your car. Tell him to make the arrest ASAP. Then, drive to your house and lock the doors."

"Isn't that the worst idea possible?" Irritation sunk into Mellie's voice. "He can murder me a million ways if I'm home alone. I doubt a locked door would stop a man like him."

"Trust me." Huck hung up, leaving a nerve struck Mellie on the other end.

She called David, telling him the change of plans. Arrest him immediately. Go to his office this instant.

Then she drove home. Her heart was racing. Her palms were sweating. She felt like she could have a stroke any second from the bumper to bumper traffic. At least she had witnesses right now. If Charlie tried to kill her, her would have to do so in front of fifty motorists, right? She finally made it home safe, locking every door. She felt ridiculous. She didn't own any guns or weapons at all. The worst thing she had was a kitchen set of knives. Instead, she poured herself a glass of wine. It was like her last meal. She left the lights off, slowly sitting down on her couch.

A man's voice came from behind the curtains

"Mellie."

She screamed bloody murder.

/

"Are you ready to move out?" David asked a crew of police officers. They were taking three undercover cars to Cyrus's office. Two to block the two entrances and one for backup. He had called a trustworthy news source to be waiting for when they take him out in handcuffs. David mentally patted himself on the back for wearing his favorite tie today. He was going to look good, front page of the morning paper. His grandmother would probably cut it out and magnet it to her refrigerator. They drove to Beene Studios and went up to his floor. David put on his hardball persona. Being a sarcastic son of a bitch was his favorite part of making arrests.

"I need to see Cyrus Beene." He told the secretary, whose eyes widened when she saw the police uniforms.

"Um, I'm sorry, sir, but he has an appointment. He doesn't want to be disturbed."

David pulled a warrant out of his jacket pocket, and dangled it in front of her face. "I think this might trump your boss's orders."

She nervously pressed the radio button. "Uh, Mr. Beene. I know you said no interruptions, but…"

"NO 'BUTS' CHARLOTTE—" Cyrus's voice came though the speaker. David leaned across the desk, interrupting Cyrus mid rant, and flipping the lock on her desk.

"We'll let ourselves in, thank you." He whispered. They entered.

"Cyrus Beene! Don't get mad at Charlotte. She was just doing her job. I actually feel sorry for her. She will be unemployed tomorrow morning. Poor girl, especially with tough economy these days. Anyways, I might as well get to my point. You are under arrest."

Cyrus's jaw hung open. David then noticed the young man sitting in front of him with a tablet with complex codes flashing across the screen.

"Oh, wow. God truly is showering his countenance on me today. You must be Jesse." He extended his hand to Jesse, but when his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head, David continued. "Ah, never mind. We do have _two_ pairs of handcuffs, right? Yes, I knew we were prepared."

Jesse tried to hide his tablet behind him. The officers circled Cyrus and Jesse to handcuff them. David took the tablet from Jesse and handed it to a by standing officer.

"No need to keep secrets, Jesse. Especially when it is evidence for a _felony_. Allow me to read you your rights. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and may be used against you. You have the right to have an attorney present before and during the questioning; and you have the right, if you cannot afford the services of an attorney, to have one appointed, at public expense and without cost to you, to represent you." David shot a smirk a Cyrus, "But, I don't think that will be a problem here."

Cyrus's face turned red, almost purple, as he jerked away from the police officers. "WHAT IS THE CHARGE?"

"Where are my manners?" David held the warrant in front of Cyrus's face to where he could read it. Two officers restrained him while one clicked the handcuffs around his hands. "Election fraud and corruption. Yes, rigging the Oscars does have its downsides."

David turned to the officers who were finishing rummaging through Cyrus's desk and placing evidence in plastic bags. "Ready boys?"

/

"Shhh shhhh. Don't scream." Huck's soft and cautious voice came out from the curtains. He stepped into the dim light with his hands raised peacefully.

Mellie clutched her wine glass as her vision came back from nearly blacking out. "What the _fuck_ , Huck?" Her voice was an angry whisper.

"Sorry, I didn't know how else to do this." He looked like an ashamed schoolboy apologizing to his teacher.

"What is going on? Charlie is going to slit my throat before the sun rises." Mellie let panic sink into her voice. Tears began to sting her face.

"No. Don't cry. He won't. I promise." Huck awkwardly patted her on the shoulder. "Charlie will come. Believe me, I know Charlie's kind. He will also try to kill you. I know that. But Charlie's weakness is that it isn't personal. He's doing it for the paycheck. But, if he doesn't have a paycheck, then he'll bounce. Cyrus can't pay him if he's in prison. Cyrus is already screwed, so he gains nothing from your death. Just follow my—"

A large crash erupted from the front of the house, causing Mellie to jump, spilling some wine on her couch. She looked up at Huck with wild eyes.

"Play it cool. You are an actress. Do your job."

Charlie waltzed into the living room, casually unwrapping a lollipop and sticking it in his mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mellie. I didn't realize you had company." Charlie nodded towards Huck. "Hi, Huck."

"Charlie." Huck nodded curtly.

"You know each other?" Mellie asked, trying to maintain her composure. Her heat was about to pound out of her rib cage, but at least her voice didn't crack.

"Charlie and I used to work together."

"Oh."

"We know why you are here." Huck spoke up. He pulled his phone out and scrolled through some stuff. "But, before you dismember my friend here, read this." Huck tossed his phone across the room to Charlie. He looked at the screen.

 _STUDIO HEAD CYRUS BEENE IS ARRESTED FOR ALLEDGED OSCARS® SCAM_

"Well, I'll be damned. I kind of liked him as a boss. He wasn't too picky." He looked to Mellie, bringing back his devilish smirk. "Too bad, I'm already here with my toolbox."

"That's not going to happen." Huck growled.

"Oh, come on." Charlie groaned. "I would even let you join in. Just like old times."

"I'm through with that. You know that."

Charlie shrugged, "I guess blondes really do have all of the fun."

"How much does Cyrus pay you?" Mellie spoke up, taking a sip of her glass and casually pulling a pillow to cover the stain she made earlier.

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "$250,000 for something like this, but sometimes I get a bonus, if I'm a good boy."

"What is your bank account?" Mellie rose and retrieved her laptop. She opened it up and began typing.

"Well, geez. Buy me dinner before you stick your hand up my skirt." Charlie joked as he rolled the lollipop to the other side of his mouth.

"How about I buy you out. $300,000 is fair?"

Charlie made an obnoxious sucking noise with his sucker as he pondered it. "Yeah, I guess." He walked over to her computer. "Look away." He typed his bank account in and finished the transaction.

Mellie shut her laptop and tried not to projectile vomit.

Charlie extended his hand. "Call me next time you want me to spare your life. Huck knows how to get in touch with me."

Mellie rolled her eyes and stood up. "Allow me to show you out. But I'm guessing from the sound earlier, you already know your way in."

"Oh, no that was just dramatics. I just slipped in a window. But I can let myself out."

/

Fitz woke up to his alarm at four o'clock. He moaned as he immediately hopped in the shower before he could go back to sleep. It was, what, one o'clock in the morning in Los Angeles? He leaned his forehead against the cold tile wall as the steamy water poured over his body. He couldn't wait until he could catch up on his sleep with Olivia in his arms.

He exited the shower, wrapping one of the hotel's plush towels around his waist. He checked his phone to find 38 missed calls, 14 text messages from Olivia, 5 text messages from Mellie, and a slew of emails and messages from his lawyer and what seemed like everyone else. Panic set in as he immediately looked at his messages from Olivia.

 **Olivia:** Call me

 **Olivia:** Baby, please call me

 **Olivia:** This is urgent.

 **Olivia:** PLEASE

 **Olivia:** Okay, you must be asleep. Call me the second you wake up.

 **Olivia:** Things didn't go as planned

 **Olivia:** Cyrus was arrested fifteen minutes ago

 **Olivia:** baby, pick up

 **Olivia:** I'm safe. I need to know that you are too

 **Olivia:** I love you

 **Olivia:** Mellie had an incident, but she's safe too

 **Olivia:** Everything is good, I just need to hear your voice

 **Olivia:** Godammit. Answer your phone.

He immediately scrolled to Mellie's messages, tension rising in his chest.

 **Mellie:** sorry I couldn't stop it. Cyrus is being arrested tonight.

 **Mellie:** Cyrus's boy is coming after me.

 **Mellie:** I hate to be dramatic, but I love you like a brother.

 **Mellie:** Call me or Liv the second you see this

 **Mellie:** All is good. I'm safe. So is Liv. Call us.

 _What the fuck happened?_

Fuck dialed Olivia's number, sweat forming on his brow the longer it rang. Finally, she answered.

"Fitz!" Her voice sang of relief. She sounded like a little child.

"Olivia." Fitz was at a loss for words. He tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat.

"Are you safe?" Olivia whispered, concern creeping into her voice.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just woke up. What the fuck happened? Where is Mellie?"

"She's asleep in my bed. She had a rough night."

"Start from the beginning."

Olivia recounted what Mellie went through. She told him about Charlie and David Rosen arresting Cyrus and Jesse. She told him about the news stations camping outside of her apartment. When she finally finished, Fitz could hear her crying softly.

"Livvie, we are safe. That is all that matters. Don't cry."

"I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because it is all over. All of it. The good guys won. Cyrus is in jail. Cyrus who ruined my life four years ago. Cyrus who ruined _us_. I'm ecstatic. That is why I'm crying." She began to laugh through her tears. "Turn on the TV."

Fitz reached for the hotel remote and flipped on the television. On every major news channel, they were playing the video of an exasperated Cyrus being led out of his office building with by the police with the bold words **OSCARGATE** across the bottom.

"Wow."

"They are going to release the tape tomorrow. Right now, they just know it involves me, but wait until they find out what a racist scumbag Cyrus really is."

Fitz put the phone on speaker mode as he started to get dressed. "So I guess you can't pick me up at the airport."

"I'll be there. Paparazzi be damned." Olivia spoke, "I miss you too much for that. I'll be wearing a clever disguise."

"Make sure Hal is with you."

"Okay."

/

The next nine hours before Fitz's plane landed in LAX was torture. He bought a hat at the hotel shop, so he would be less recognizable. Despite running on nearly empty the past two days, he couldn't sleep on the plane. His arms were aching for Olivia. He watched a movie on the tiny TV screen in front of him to pass some time. When the plane was somewhere over Kansas, Fitz slipped into unconsciousness. A flight attendant woke him as they were thirty minutes away from landing. He was grateful for the nap. It forced time to pass, and he was knocked out so hard, he didn't even dream.

He pulled up his window cover and saw the breathtaking vista of the mountains. _Home._ The plane landed shortly and he texted Olivia letting him know they landed. She was waiting at the gate, wearing an LA Dodgers baseball cap pulled down low over her eyes, oversized sunglasses. When she saw Fitz, she immediately run into his arms. Hal power walked to keep up with her, but kept his distance. Unfortunately, the press was waiting with just as much excitement.

Olivia collided into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head into his chest. She was wearing sneakers, so she barely crossed his chest. He put his hands on each side of her face, shielding her face from the paparazzi.

"Hi."

"Hi." He kissed her briefly, but tenderly on the lips, before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Let's get to the car."

Hal helped them make their way to the car without being trampled by the abrasive reporters.

" _Did you know about OSCARGATE?"_

" _Why would Cyrus Beene be out to hurt you?"_

" _Care to comment, Ms. Pope?"_

" _Fitz, what do you have to say about your business partner attempting to ruin your girlfriend?"_

The door of the car shut, effectively blocking out all of their questions to where they were a vague buzz beneath the tinted privacy.

Olivia took off her sunglasses and smiled, "How was your flight?"

"I slept the whole way." Fitz pulled the hat off of his head. "Come here."

"Take us to my house." Olivia ordered Hal as she unbuckled her seat belt and crawled across the seat to Fitz. He pulled her onto his lap as he kissed her mouth. Hard. She moaned into his mouth as her body reacted to him in ways she loved. Her hands nestled in his curls as he groped her ass. His hands were all over her. Her sides, her face, her thighs. Finally he took her right hand in both of his.

Without breaking the kiss, he pulled the infinity ring out of his pocket and slipped it onto her ring finger. She gasped at the cold metal and withdrew to look at it.

"What—Fitz…"

He kissed her ring and looked at her wet eyes. "Nobody could ever break us apart. Not Cyrus, not Hollywood, not Jesus himself. I will love you _forever._ " A single tear slipped out of her eye and he was quick to kiss it away before it could reach her chin. Olivia looked like she was struggling to find words until she finally caved into his lips.

It didn't matter that Hal was driving 70 mph down the interstate, Olivia was in heaven with Fitz, making up for the past two days. He slipped his hands under her blouse, palming her breasts through her bra. The sensation caused Olivia to throw her head back and moan loudly. Immediately, she felt self-conscious because Hal was driving, but Fitz attacked her exposed neck with his lips, making her forget her surroundings.

Hal cleared his throat loudly when he parked the car in her garage. Olivia climbed off of his lap and adjusted her shirt back. She was blushing heavily. "Sorry."

The paparazzi were staked out on the sidewalk, prohibited from stepping foot on her lawn. Hal opened the door for them as they rushed inside. Mellie was waiting inside.

Fitz hugged Mellie and thanked her for doing all that she did. He promised to pay her for what she had to pay Charlie. Mellie left, to give them private time together, but Fitz promised all three of them would get together for dinner later.

When she left, Fitz turned back to Olivia with a smirk. He walked over to her and pulled her flush against him. She smiled, dark desire filling her eyes. He picked her hand with the infinity ring on up to his lips.

"I want to make love you with just this on." He tapped the ring and kissed it.

This was a new beginning with no ending.


	13. Lullaby

Lullaby—Tink

Words can't explain this vibe that you've given me baby  
Above every ocean higher than a soaring place  
Is where you'll find me and my baby  
Just like the stars in the sky,  
I hope you know you shine so bright to me  
My only wish before I die,  
Is that you able to spend your life with me

* * *

"I want to make love to you with just this on." Fitz drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.

Olivia licked her lips unconsciously. Fitz lowered his face to where he was centimeters from her mouth, but before made contact, his quick fingers lifted her shirt over her head. Her breath deepened through her lacy bra as he pulled the scrunchie out of her hair, letting her loose curls fall around her face. He bent down to unbutton her jeans, sliding them down to her ankles and helping her step out of them.

When he stood up, Olivia had her eyes closed and was reaching to kiss him. Fitz wanted to kiss her so bad, but he had a different plan for the evening designed to drive her crazy. Instead, he picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He walked them to her bedroom and set her down on the bed, gently. Seeing her lying there with nothing but her lingerie set on drove him wild. He unclasped her bra, setting her erect nipples free. Fitz watched them for a second, barely moving up and down against her chest. His pants were now uncomfortably tight.

Next, Fitz slowly pulled her panties off, which were drenched with her arousal. Olivia propped herself up on her elbows and looked back at Fitz. He spread her legs apart, as wide as they would go, and enjoyed the view of the most beautiful woman he would ever lay eyes on. Every inch of her was perfect, tight, and toned. Olivia shifted a bit, becoming slightly self-conscious. Fitz was still fully dressed. Not a word was spoken. There was a delicate intimacy being communicated just through eyes and touch.

Fitz literally started at her feet, kissing her ankles and shins. Each kiss left a shiver of anticipation in Olivia. Fitz was torturing her, and she knew it. Her arousal was now dripping out of her pussy onto the bed spread. She held eye contact, watching the love of her life slowly work his way up her body.

When he reached the inside of her thighs, Olivia reached for his hair. For something to grab hold of. His kisses were now getting sloppier, leaving wet trails everywhere _but_ her core. Her clit was throbbing, begging for attention.

"Fitz…" She pleaded, barely able to make out a sound. He was overpowering. Her legs were over his broad shoulders. She tried to grind her core into his face, but Fitz reached up to press her stomach back down into the bed.

"No, no, Livvie. I'm in charge now." Olivia could feel his breath against her sex. His deep voice uttering those words made her moan and arch her back off of the bed.

Fitz finally flattened his tongue against her slit, licking it all the way. Olivia let out a stream of expletives as Fitz held her to the bed by gripping her hips roughly with his hands. He kissed her tenderly all over her sex, before finally giving her what she wanted and taking her clit between his lips and sucking on it. He brought two fingers into her sex. Olivia's toes were curling into his sides as she screamed for mercy. Fitz curved his two fingers inside of her, hitting her G-spot and released her clit from his mouth with a loud pop.

Olivia unraveled loudly. All she could do was stare at the ceiling and grab a handful of the sheets to cope with the rippling waves of ecstasy coursing through her body. She slowly came down from her sexual high, regaining her vision and senses again. Fitz had taken his shirt and pants off, and was now in his boxers. He kissed her mound before continuing up her belly. His nose was dripping with her juices as he kissed up her rib cage.

He stopped at each breast, massaging them and kissing them. With each contact, Olivia arched her back and moaned. He was doing a number on her, and there was only so much longer she could take. She wanted to kiss him. Every time she tried to pull him closer, he would take her wrists in his hands and hold them above her head.

He stopped his mouth seconds before touching hers. A small whimper escaped from her throat as she opened her eyes to look at him. Finally, he couldn't wait one more second. Their lips collided. Olivia could taste her own nectar on his lips as his tongue swirled against hers. Her senses were on fire and everything felt so good. Fits released her arms and she skillfully used her feet to kick his boxers down.

Fitz flipped Olivia over on her stomach, pulling a pillow under her lower abdomen. He entered swiftly from behind, before Olivia could even really process what had happen. An almost animalistic scream came out of her. Fitz's size and the angle immediately sent Olivia into another orgasm. Fitz intertwined his fingers into hers which were fisting the sheets. Her walls clamping around his cock was almost too much to begin with.

Fitz found a rhythm of long strokes, pounding her roughly from behind. He kissed her back and shoulder blades. Fitz was nearing his end. He could feel Olivia's body tensing up, so he turned her back on her stomach and threw one of her legs over her shoulder. He wanted to see her face as she came again. When he was certain that they were both near the peak, he nibbled on her ear lobe and whispered, "Let go with me." Into her ear.

They climaxed in sync, relishing the sensation of being in each other's arms. When their breaths finally returned to a humanly pace, Fitz climbed off of the bed and retrieved a warm washcloth from the bathroom to clean Olivia up, like he always did after sex. They crawled under the covers and nestled against each other.

Olivia pulled the covers up around her neck as she wriggled her leg in between Fitz's. She put her hand with the infinity ring on his chest and watched the way it faintly glinted in the dull sunlight. "You must be exhausted. With your jetlag." She stroked his cheek with her hand and hugged him closer, as if there could be any more intimacy in between them. "Get some sleep, babe."

/

Mellie was sitting on her computer in her living room. She was waiting for her DIY cleaner to remove the wine stain from her couch. She opened her laptop while it was in front of her to check the news outlets. Her phone buzzed.

 **Huck:** Check your bank account. It is from Cyrus's account, but it is untraceable. Think of it as reimbursement.

She clicked into her online banking. There was a green check mark next to a deposit that was worth $300,000. She smiled and laughed as she realized that Huck hacked Cyrus's identity just to send her Charlie's payment. It probably only took him thirty seconds, but it was a sweet gesture.

/

Olivia woke first. The sun was streaming through her window at an angle that she knew it must have been at least five in the afternoon, but she wasn't going to check her phone. She struggled, trying to detangle herself from Fitz to go get a glass of water. She managed to extract herself from the bed without waking him. She pulled a robe over her shoulders and disappeared into the kitchen. She was only gone for 2 minutes, but when she returned, Fitz was sitting up in the bed, waiting for her. He looked like a vision of a god, with his hair tousled and muscles toned by the afternoon sun.

"You were supposed to stay asleep. You looked exhausted." Olivia climbed into the bed again, and handed him a glass of water.

"I'm fine. And I can't sleep without you. You are like a little ball of body heat that I'm now dependent on."

Olivia rested her head against his chest. "I bet the tape has been released."

"Let's find out." Fitz reached to the nightstand to grab the remote. It was already preset to CNN.

An attractive news anchor came on the screen with all of her articulation and poise.

 _Breaking news in the developing story of OSCARGATE. We now have an exclusive audio taping of what sounds like Cyrus Beene saying in his own words his plans to tip the scales of the Academy Awards. Beene goes on to drop multiple racial slurs referring to Ms. Pope. Viewer's discretion is advised._

"Jesse developed a software that rigs electronic votes. He is going to rig the Academy Awards voting. For every five votes that go to Olivia, she will only receive two. The other three will go to a candidate of my choice. It makes it impossible for her to win. Do your best to break them up

Her career is spiraling down, and Olivia will hold him back. If he hangs on to that box office poison, his career will be ruined too

show him the statistics of what those fame hungry * _BLEEP*_ monkeys like Olivia do once they latch onto a successful celebrity like himself

Just do your part, and wait for February 22.

 _The man that Mr. Beene refers to, Jesse, is also being detained under arrest. We have been told that he was instrumental in Mr. Beene's plan. The third party that recorded this has asked to remain anonymous. The D.A.'s office is not revealing any more information at this time._

 _As for Olivia Pope, she has yet to make a comment. She was seen this morning at LAX with her boyfriend, director Fitzgerald Grant, but dodged reporters. The President of the Academy, Cheryl Isaac Boone, has yet to make a statement. A scandal this big just a week before the ceremony makes many question the integrity of the association. Some speculate that they will postpone the awards for another week, to allow for a revote and a revamp of their cyber security._

Fitz pretended for her sake that he didn't see her slightly flinch when the bleeped swear word come out of Cyrus's mouth. There was no doubt that they were both ecstatic that Cyrus was getting his karma, but hearing the concrete words coming from his mouth was a cold slap to the face. It was a reminder that many people held those same sentiments in their modern society. It was a reminder of the hardships that Olivia faced as a woman of color in the entertainment industry.

As the news story rolled on to a foreign policy issue, Olivia pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"How are you with all of this?" Fitz asked, resting his hand on her knee.

"I'm okay. Better than okay, really." She put her hand over his. "It isn't fun being called that, but if it means that the offender is being exposed, then I'll take it. If it means that people will now be more conscious of racism in Hollywood, then it is worth it." The alarm clock caught the corner of her eye. _5:28._ "I need to shower and call Anna over to work. We need to strategize on how I am going to publicly receive this. Then we should have Mellie over for a late dinner. I'll cook. We owe her that much."

Fitz kissed her cheek and climbed out of the bed to get dressed, "Okay, I need to go to my place and unpack. Let me know what time dinner will be ready, and I'll call Mellie to let her know."

"Okay." Olivia smiled as she got up and walked towards the bathroom, dropping her robe a second before she crossed the door, to give Fitz a glimpse of her slender body before she disappeared. Fitz wasn't sure if she did it on purpose or not, but he did know that she was going to be the death of him.


	14. It Is What It Is

It Is What It Is—Blood Orange

Time will tell if you can figure this and work it out  
no one's waiting for you anyway so don't be stressed now  
even if it's something that you've had your eye on,  
it is what it is.

* * *

Anna arrived shortly after Olivia had showered and Fitz had left. They set up in her den, spreading out papers and laptops. Olivia made two cups of tea as they sat down on the couch.

"I called the LAPD to take care of the paparazzi across the street. That should take care of the crowd of hyenas outside your door. And just call them anytime you have trouble with them. "

"Thank you."

"So, everyone has been on my phone begging for you to do an interview. This story is huge, and you will have to do more than a mere statement. If you don't, then people will speculate, and that is the worst possible scenario. We don't want people speculating that you now hate Jennifer Lawrence for being the actress Cyrus set up to steal your votes. Or that there is any beef between you and the president of the Academy. Anything could happen, and we need to capitalize on this and control the narrative. Here is the list of the offers. I would recommend Kimberly Mitchell, but whatever you choose I will make happen."

Olivia skimmed the list, nodding. "Kimberly is good. I've worked with her before. She's familiar."

"Kimberly it is. I'll email her people right now to confirm and get the talking points so we can prepare you for it." Anna typed out an email. "Would you be able to tape it tomorrow, then they show it on Thursday in primetime?"

"Yeah, that works."

Anna hit send on the email

"I have been in contact with the president of the Academy, and they will let us know if they are going to postpone the show. It depends on the next 24 hours and how the media reacts. They are in major damage control mode right now. They have to make sure it looks like they are doing everything they can to appear like they are fixing the problem without outside intervention. That is all for the formal optics we can control. You should be seen reaching out to Jennifer Lawrence to make it known that there are no hard feelings. Maybe a brunch or a run in out in public. I'll talk to her publicist and work that out."

Anna's computer dinged with an email.

"Great. Kimberly has confirmed. You need to be there at ten tomorrow. Let's practice with these questions."

They spent the next couple of hours firing through practice interview questions until Olivia felt comfortable with the whole thing. When Anna left, Olivia texted Fitz, telling him she was starting on dinner. She baked a healthy pizza on pita that was one of the few meals she actually could bake well with an accompanying salad.

When she heard Fitz's car pull up, she went to open the door to greet him. She smiled to herself at the quiet street with the absence of the paparazzi. That was one thing she would never and didn't ever want to get comfortable with. She liked her privacy. Fitz walked up looking refreshed with an olive green sweater and dark wash jeans. No matter what he wore, he always looked like a model out of a GQ magazine.

Olivia poured their wine glasses as they waited for the pizza to finish baking and for Mellie to arrive. Olivia sat on the counter and Fitz stood in between her legs, softly massaging her thighs as they conversed quietly and drank their wine. Fitz filled her in on his afternoon of developing the photos he took in Brooklyn, still keeping some things secretive about the project. Olivia told him about her interview with Kimberly, and all of the hoops she would have to jump through to navigate this scandal.

Mellie arrived and Olivia set the table up for everyone to eat. Throughout their meal, Mellie entertained Olivia with stories of Fitz growing up and getting into trouble. Fitz couldn't help but be overcome with gratitude as he sat there watching them engage in conversation, even if it _was_ at his expense. He couldn't remember the last time he was this happy. He had earned the love of his life back after fucking it up grandly the first time. He couldn't even begin to express his gratefulness for Mellie and how she helped bring Cyrus down. He was content in a million ways.

When dinner was over, they sat around and talked for a little bit more before Mellie went home. Fitz helped Olivia clean up the dining table.

"Are you sure that you are full? You barely had one slice." Fitz commented as he gathered up the plates and carried them into the kitchen.

"Yeah. I wasn't that hungry to begin with." Olivia sounded distant, but Fitz didn't push her any further. He was sure it was just the stress of the recent events. It was 10:30, and Olivia had to get up early, and Fitz had meetings to go to in the morning. He kissed her goodnight, and promised that she would be great in the interview the next day.

/

Olivia closed her eyes as the makeup assistant brushed some last minute powder onto her face. The studio lights clicked on, and Kimberly Mitchell illuminated in front of her. Kimberly smiled and looked back down at her notes in her hand.

A production assistant called out if everyone was ready. They nodded. The camera man announced that they were rolling, and Olivia took a deep breath. It was show time, and Kimberly put on her television persona and began the interview.

 **Kimberly:** Good evening to everyone tuning in. I'm Kimberly Mitchell, here with actress Olivia Pope. Olivia graduated from Julliard in 2010, and has had a successful start as a film actress.

 _Kimberly Mitchell turned to Olivia._

Hello, Olivia, how are you?

 **Olivia:** I'm good, really. I've had better weeks, but I have a lot to be thankful for.

 **Kimberly:** First, I just want to congratulate you on your amazing run this year. You gave one of the best performances, in my opinion of the decade. You have gone on to win the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics Choice Award for best actress. How would you describe this past year?

 **Olivia:** Thank you. I can only describe it as a blessing. You know, you put all of this work in as an artist, but you do it for yourself and for the sake of the art. I'm an actress because I love the craft of acting. And to have so many people give you these awards and recognition because they love your work, is truly surreal. It has yet to feel real.

 **Kimberly:** Well, let's jump right into the thick of this. Earlier this week, studio executive Cyrus Beene was arrested for conspiring to rig the Academy Awards to your disadvantage and was caught on tape calling you degrading racial slurs. Did you have any idea that Cyrus was planning this? What relationship did you two have before this news broke?

 _Olivia knew it was time to sell the story she perfected._

 **Olivia:** It all came as a surprise to me. I have always been aware of Cyrus Beene's influence in Hollywood, but I have never worked on one of his films. Aside from being introduced by a mutual friend at an event once, I do not know him at all.

 **Kimberly:** So run through your thought processes when you found out about his arrest.

 **Olivia:** I'm going to be honest, it stung. I am aware that we live in a racist, sexist world, and I experience micro-aggressions every day—any woman of color could tell you the same thing—but to have it so blatant and in your face… To know that someone would actually consciously express those thoughts out loud… It isn't fun.

 **Kimberly:** Elaborate on those experiences, please.

 **Olivia:** Well, anyone can spout the statistic that women get paid seventy seven cents to the man's dollar. African American women alone only make sixty four cents. Yet, it goes deeper than that. It hasn't been until just recently that we've seen black women taking the lead roles in television. There is a major lack of diversity in the roles that are being offered to African Americans.

Nobody has told me to my face, what Cyrus said in that taping, but we all know the sentiments are there. Those sentiments are shown in the business. I mean, look at how many other people of color were nominated this year. Zero. And it isn't because they aren't producing works of art.

 **Kimberly:** You mention the lack of diversity of roles for women of color. You portray a stubborn and strong witted slave in _Underground Kings_. Is that what you mean by the lack of diversity in roles? That you are sick of stereotypes?

 **Olivia:** I'm eternally grateful for the amazing, complex character that the screenwriters of _Underground Kings_ wrote for me. I learned so much on set and in my own research, and I loved every step of the process. I think it is important to remember that period of American history, and to be able to portray such a beautiful woman in it was such an honor. That being said, yes, I think that Hollywood is in much need of roles for black women that don't fit historical or modern stereotypes.

 **Kimberly:** In the tape, Cyrus also lists your relationship with your boyfriend Fitzgerald Grant as a motive to wreck your chances at an Oscar. What do you have to say about that?

 _Olivia allowed he corner of her mouth to curve up into a smile at the mention of Fitz_

 **Olivia:** I say that Cyrus doesn't know a thing about my relationship with Fitz. That is not the dynamic between us at all. My personal relationships do not depend on the success of my career. It would take a lot more than that to break us up.

 **Kimberly:** Fitzgerald has been in business with Cyrus on multiple films, and he was reportedly in the works with Cyrus on an upcoming film. Do you think that his professional relationship with Cyrus had anything to do with it all?

 **Olivia:** Those are questions you would have to ask Cyrus.

 **Kimberly:** Okay, I'll move on from your personal life, since I know that you like to keep your private life private. Jennifer Lawrence was the nominee set up to benefit from the hack. What do you have to say to her?

 **Olivia:** I think she gave a brilliant performance in her movie. As far as I've been told, she had nothing to do with this, so I don't hold her responsible at all. No hard feelings. I wish her the best, and I also hope that this doesn't hurt her chance at the Oscars. We all deserve an equal chance.

 **Kimberly:** What do you think should be Cyrus's punishment for rigging an election and defacing the integrity of the Oscars?

 **Olivia:** I think that should be left up to the discretion of our Justice system and the Academy.

 **Kimberly:** As we come to a close, I would like to say ask you one more question.

 **Olivia:** Go ahead.

 **Kimberly:** What is next for Olivia Pope?

 **Olivia:** Kimberly, I can't give you a direct answer for that. _She chuckled lightly._ I can say that I am in a very happy place personally and professionally. I look forward to the future, and all of the opportunities it holds.

 **Kimberly:** Well thank you for taking the time to join us today.

 **Olivia:** My pleasure.

 **Kimberly:** And thank you to our viewers. This has been _The Kimberly Report_. Join us next time.

/

After the interview, Olivia had to go get ready for the NAACP Image Awards. She was nominated for best actress in a motion picture. Olivia was attending the ceremony with the cast of her movie. They decided it wasn't smart for them to attend an event together until the interview aired. That way, all of the questions could be answered on television. She had chosen a satin, strapless dress with a big bow resting on her lower back designed by Dior. The color was an off-white that even looked like the lightest, most delicate shade of pink in some light. The silhouette was tight and slightly uncomfortable, but it was extremely flattering, so she would have to deal with it for the evening. She accessorized with elbow length gloves and a gorgeous diamond necklace on loan from Cartier. Her hair was curled enough to where it grazed her shoulders.

As her stylist team prepared her appearance, she scrolled through the articles about Cyrus's case, her involvement, and the whole public image of it all. A few sympathizers for Cyrus made her stomach churn, but she knew people like that were out there. There was an overwhelming amount of support for her coming from the public. A few wild inflammatory journalists spewed out stretching conspiracies involving Fitz, his movie, and how it fit into the scheme of things.

The car with the rest of the cast came to pick her up. She slid into the backseat of the sleek black SUV. A figure dressed in a smart looking tuxedo grinned at her from across the seat.

"Hey, Stranger." Harrison Wright leaned across to kiss her on her cheek. "You look great."

"Thanks." Olivia blushed at the flattery of her former co-star. They became close on the set of the film, but she was well aware of his womanizing reputation. She made it clear that she was only interested in a professional relationship, but that didn't stop him from using his charm on her every day. They also played love interests in the film, so they were comfortable with each other. "You clean up nicely yourself."

"I do, don't I?" Harrison straightened his bow tie jokingly. Olivia greeted the rest of her cast mates in the backseat. When they got to the red carpet, they split up to do their red carpet duties. Olivia only did interviews with trusted media outlets, due to the sensitivity of the issues at hand. The cast met up to do group photos and interviews about the film.

Olivia clung to Harrison's arm the entire time. Due to the large bow on her back, Harrison settled his hand beneath the bow, dangerously close to her ass, but not crossing any lines. They photographers called for pictures of Harrison and Olivia alone, so they split from the group. Being away from the group, Harrison used this time to catch up with Olivia.

"So how's life with Grant? I never would have thought of you going for a guy like him."

"What do you mean?" Olivia shifted her pose as they turned to a different group of photographers.

"I don't know. I guess I always pictured you with someone with a little less hair…with a noticeably darker skin tone…and impeccable dance skills." He shot her a wink out of the corner of his eye.

"How's your fiancé?" Olivia shot back in good nature, letting a laugh ripple out of her in front of the flashing cameras.

"I'm kidding. I'm kidding." Harrison led her off of the carpet. "I'm super happy for you. Just invite me to the wedding. Front row, nothing less."

The awards show started. Harrison won best actor in a motion picture, and their film won for best picture. Olivia predictably won in her category. She gave a simple but moving speech, thanking the NAACP, the cast and crew, and other generalities. After she was ushered backstage, she was greeted by a number of people and congratulated. She found a quiet corner and pulled her cell phone out of her clutch.

"Hi." His voice immediately came through.

"Hi." Olivia put her hand over her other ear so she could hear him over the noise.

"Congratulations. I just watched you on the TV."

"Thank you. What are you doing?"

"I'm at my office. I'm telling myself that I am doing this tedious paperwork. But I'm really just watching you on the screen."

"Then I should hang up and let you get back to work." Olivia joked. She could just see Fitz with his feet up on his desk and his chair leaning back. His sleeves would be folded up to his elbows and his brow would be crinkled as he read fine print and signed on the dotted line.

"No, no. I wouldn't be getting much done anyways."

"Are you going to be working late?"

"Yeah, probably." There was a pause of silence. Olivia could hear the exhaustion in his voice. "How did your morning go?"

"Well. I'm confident that the interview will settle everything on my part. We'll just have to wait and see how the public perceives it."

"The whole nation will be watching." Fitz noted, half amused.

There was another pause of silence. Olivia didn't want to hang up just yet, even though she knew people were probably wondering why she was huddled alone in a corner. She peeped over her shoulder. Everyone else was enjoying themselves with the hor dourves and champagne.

She dropped her voice to a tone she only used with Fitz. "Do you like my dress?"

Olivia heard a low moan from the receiver. She imagined him leaning further back in his chair.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Livvie…"

A soft hand tapped her politely on the back. Olivia turned around to see the president of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs standing there. When she saw that Olivia was on the phone, her eyes widened and she backed away, signaling she would come back later. Olivia motioned for her to stay.

"Oh, shit. Sorry, I just ran into someone, I have to go. I'll call you later." She hung up before Fitz could reply, knowing he would understand. She slipped her phone into her bag.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt…"

"Oh, no! It's fine." Half of an awkward moment passed, before Olivia could see the conflict in her face. She could tell that the last couple of days were probably just as rough on her as they were for Olivia. Olivia made the decision to pull her in for a hug.

"No hard feelings." Olivia whispered, before pulling back.

"Thank you." Cheryl said. "And, I want to let you know that we are not going to move the date of the show. We have shut down the voting until just three days before the show. That gives us enough time to revamp the security measures and ensure that something like this never happens again."

"Great." Olivia smiled warmly as she was aware of some photographers taking pictures of their encounter. There would no doubt be high quality pictures on the internet in ten minutes tops.

"And congratulations on your win tonight. You deserve it. I look forward to seeing you at the show next week."

"Thank you." Olivia hugged her again before she walked off. It felt good to get that weight off of her chest. She went over to the refreshment table to grab a bottle of water. The monitor on the wall notified everyone that there was seven minutes until the commercial break, when she could go back to her seat. She went over to a man wearing a headset and holding a clipboard by the door.

"Hey, could I see your schedule for a second?"

"Sure." He showed her his clipboard. After the break, there was only two more awards to give out. Olivia thanked the man and pulled her phone out. She had a missed call from Fitz, no doubt wondering why she hung up so abruptly. She sent a text to Harrison, telling him that she had to skip out early. He replied quickly with a _no problem. I'll let everyone else know._

Olivia opened the uber app on her phone.

/

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and let his head rest in his hand for a brief moment. He hadn't felt his frustrated in a long time. He glanced at his wrist watch. _10:52._ He was nowhere near reaching a solution on this. It didn't cross his mind that with the Titanic that was Beene Studios going down, so would his upcoming project. It was a small price to pay for putting that scum behind bars—and he was more than willing to pay it—but he didn't anticipate the headache that would follow. Financers were dropping out, and he was trying to convince them that it was going to work. He needed to find a producer quick. He had a list to call in the morning, but now his priority was keeping the money secured.

He heard a rustling from outside of his office. He stilled, listening for another sound. Ever since he left from being under Beene Studios after the film Olivia was originally on released, he rented a studio office in town to himself. It was unorthodox, but he really enjoyed being independent. He heard careful shuffling down the hallway. As he stood up to see who else could be in the building so late. Olivia appeared in his doorway with her gown and her glove sin her hand and her jewelry glistening in the low light, casting tiny beads of light on her beautiful skin.

"Hi." Olivia whispered with a smile on her face. He knew that she could see the effect she had on him.

"Hi."

"I know you said you were working, but I wanted to see you."

"No, I'm glad." Fitz sat back down and motioned for her to come sit on his lap. She kicked her stilettos off, taking five inches off of her height and sat in his open lap. He ran his fingers over the silky fabric of her dress. "You know, I liked this on screen, but it's even better in person."

"I'm glad you think so." She ran her fingers through his hair before hissing his lips gently.

"You left early?" Fitz motioned to the TV on mute in the corner of the office playing the end of the show.

"Yeah." Olivia said. "I did get a chance to talk to the president of the Academy. She seemed more scared of me than anything. Like I blamed her for Cyrus. But I assured her that there were no hard feelings."

"That's good." Fitz mumbled as he began to kiss her neck and along her collarbone and into her hair. He hit a sensitive spot that he was all too familiar with. She moaned as she gave him more access.

"What were you working on?" Olivia reluctantly pulled away, but remained in his lap. She turned to the papers on his desk, trying to distract herself.

Fitz kept his hands running along her figure as he answered her question. "My project is hitting some speed bumps. With Cyrus tanking, I have to find a new producer. I also am working on legally severing all ties with Beene Studios so if the whole studio goes under—which it looks like it will—then we can still move forward."

"Oh." Olivia straightened up as she looked at a sheet of statistics involving money and funders. "I didn't even think about how much this would affect you."

"It's fine. It's just a setback." Fitz sighed as he shuffled some of the papers together.

"No, it's more than that." Olivia put a hand to his cheek. "I know how much this means to you." Olivia searched his eyes.

"It's a small price to pay, and I'll get through it."

"Then what can I do to help?" Olivia asked. Fitz was surprised by her question. "You are in this situation because of me, and—"

"I'm in this situation because Cyrus is a racist asshole that deserves to go to jail. But, if you want to help, then…" Fitz rummaged around for a paper. "Who would you chose?"

Olivia scanned the paper with every prominent producer with an open schedule. She mentally crossed some out and rearranged them in different rankings.

"Him." She pointed to the name of Stephen Finch.

"Stephen? I wouldn't think of him as a first. Why?"

"He's young and rich. He's got his daddy's money and nothing to lose. A personality that would love a risk, and your film screams risk in an exciting way. Did you go to him before?"

"No, Cyrus came to me before I could ask anyone else."

"Well, that's who I would call." Olivia smiled as she ran her perfectly manicured nails along his scalp. "What else can I help you with?" She whispered in a low voice as she began to massage his scalp.

Fitz closed his eyes and let a low moan roll from his throat. He rested his hands on her ass, internally smiling at the fact that he could and that she would let him.

"You seem tense." Her warm breath hit his neck as the smell of her overwhelmed him. A strand of her hair grazed his Adam's apple, as her lips ghosted against his neck, causing a stirring in his pants. Her fingers slipped from his hair to his shoulders as she firmly massaged his shoulders, releasing some tension he didn't even realize he had.

"Livvie…" Fitz moved his hands up her body, desperately trying to find the zipper on her dress.

"Relax." Olivia pulled his hands back down to her ass, "Let me do all of the work." She slid a hand down to his growing erection and rubbed it painfully slow.

"Fuck." Fitz groaned as his grip tightened on her ass. Olivia moved her other hand down to unbuckle his pants. She slid down in between his legs and pulled his dick out of his pants. He was now throbbing in her hands, painfully hard and desperate for a release.

Olivia locked eyes with him as she brought her lips to his tip, gently kissing the pre cum off of it. Fitz had a white knuckled grip on the arms of his chair, as she slowly took him into her mouth, never breaking eye contact. He felt himself press against the back of her throat as he tried to hold himself together. She hummed softly, the vibration of her vocals driving him even more insane, as she went down again. Unable to simply sit there anymore, he ran his fingers through her hair pulling most of it out of her way, desperate for some contact. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as Fitz began to guide her to a rhythm.

When she was positive that he was seconds away from bursting, she massaged his balls in one hand, making him explode in her mouth in a powerful orgasm. She buckled him back into his pants and reached for a water bottle on his desk. His eyes were shut and his mouth was hanging slightly open as he slowly came back from his rush of ecstasy. Seeing what she could do to him and how good she made him feel was empowering.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her like she was a fantasy. Her diamonds still sparkled around her neck, and her hair was slightly rustled. How she managed to keep her gown unstained, he didn't know, but he did know that she was perfect.


	15. Legend

Legend—Drake

If I die, all I know is I'm a mother fucking legend  
It's too late for my city  
I'm the youngest nigga reppin'  
Oh my God, oh my God  
If I die, I'm a legend  
Oh my God, oh my God  
If I die, I'm a legend

* * *

Elle Reynolds laid the garment bag across the bed of the hotel room and shot Olivia a giddy smile. This was the day. Olivia had three hours and a half hours until Fitz would come and knock on her door and escort her to the 87th Academy Awards. Olivia had just gotten out of the shower of the luxury suite that the Academy rented out to the nominees to get ready in. She tightened the silky robe around her waist and went to unzip the bag. She smiled at the beautiful dress lying flat in front of her.

"I can't wait until you step onto the red carpet in this." Elle clasped her hands together.

"Me neither. Your name is going to be everywhere after tonight. _Everybody_ is going to want you to design their ball gowns after this."

The team of hair and makeup arrived, setting up in the bathroom. A manicurist gave her a French mani-pedi. The one thing about the whole awards season that surprised Olivia was the decadence of it all. Her suite was covered in floral arrangements sent from everybody from the Mayor of Los Angeles to Vogue and Vanity Fair. She had heard that nominees get $165,000 gift bags full of vouchers for Italian vacations and rare bath salts. That morning a masseuse came to the suite gave her a 60 minute massage. It was nice to be pampered on such an ungodly level.

After the manicure, the makeup and hair artists began their work. She had made some adjustments to their original plans, asking if they could place tiny flowers in her low, romantic bun. She had also called Tiffany's to make some adjustments to her jewelry choices. She had to make room for her infinity ring, and make sure that all of the pieces complemented everything. Of course, they were happy to accommodate her, since she was the hottest star that would be on the carpet.

Her makeup was angelic to say the least. She had them sweep light shades of pink and white around her eyes with eyeliner only around the top of her eye. It gave her a naturally ethereal look.

Once her hair, with tiny lily looking flowers accenting her up do and her makeup was complete, it was time to put on the dress. She shed the robe, wearing only a corseted lingerie that would hold everything in place and a thong. Elle helped her step into the dress, and zipped it for her.

Olivia stepped into her stilettos for the evening and smiled as the hem grazed the floor at the perfect length. The peach fabric made her skin glow. Her lingerie pushed her breasts up to the perfect position as the fabric cascaded around them and hugged her waist tightly. She pinched the fabric at her sides and fluffed it out, watching the dress magically fall back into place. Elle brought out a bottle of Coco Chanel Mademoiselle to spritz her neck with.

She slipped the final jewelry on, and sent a text to Fitz letting him know that she was ready. He had arrived earlier, and was no doubt hanging out at the bar. She fished through her bag and found the cufflinks she bought him as a present. They were 24 karat gold with a simple III engraved on them, for Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. They were simple and dignified.

A minute later, he knocked on the door. Elle let him in. Fitz walked through the threshold with a tuxedo with a white dinner jacket, just like Elle had suggested a month ago.

"She's in the main room."

"Thank you."

Fitz walked through the expansive suite, taking note of the flowers everywhere. When he entered the room, his breath was sucked out of his lungs. She was standing there, facing away. Her dress dipped beautifully in the back, exposing most of her toned back. The fabric continued with a sprawling train. He followed his gaze back up to her hair, trying to remember how to take a breath.

Olivia sensed his presence and turned around to face him. She had a card in her hand from one of the bouquets. She smiled at his expression as she walked over to him. Her dress billowed with each dress, giving her the appearance that she was floating. Fitz felt like he was in a trance.

"Hi." She smirked as she placed her hands on his chest, running her fingers over the lapels of his shirt.

"Hi." He whispered. His hands hovered over her sides, not wanting to touch her and ruin any bit of the perfection.

"You can touch me, you know." Olivia teased, snapping him out of his trance.

Fitz placed one hand lightly on her ass, and used the other to trace a line up her exposed spine, sending a faint shiver through Olivia.

"You look incredible."

"Thank you."

"Can I kiss you?" He asked, leaning his head down to where their noses where touching. She nodded, barely moving her head and his lips closed carefully around her. He brought his hand to her face, caressing her cheek before pulling back.

"I have something for you." Olivia walked over to the coffee table and picked up a red velvet box. "Here." She gave him the box.

He opened the box. "Livvie, these are great. Thank you." He flipped them over in his hand, smiling at the kindness behind the gift. "Here. Put them on me."

She removed his old cufflinks and fastened the new ones into place. "There."

Fitz's phone rang off. He backed away to answer it.

"Hello? ... Come on, man, it's the Oscars. It isn't a good time." Fitz chuckled into the receiver. "Yeah, I'm with her… Yeah, I'll tell her. Okay, okay, I have to go. It can wait until tomorrow." Fitz hung up and slid his iPhone back into his tuxedo pants.

"Who was that?"

"Stephen. He might be willing to pour his heart and checkbook into this project, but he is a little too persistent. He told me to tell you good luck."

"I'm glad that he signed on. I'm glad it's working out for you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked his lips. "Come on. Let's go."

They rode in a limousine to the Dolby Theater. Olivia laced her fingers through Fitz's in the car, turning them over in her hand and studying them.

"What?" Fitz could tell she was deep in thought.

"A month ago, I tried this dress on at Elle's studio. I didn't have a date at that point, and she told me to share this day with someone _special_." Olivia's big eyes watered with emotion, but she held it in to save her makeup. "So I went home and called you. That was when I called you to come over and explain. That is the night that _we_ began again." She could barely get those last three words out of her mouth.

Fitz pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I love you, Livvie. And the day you allowed me to come back into your life, you gave me a second chance. I will never be thankful enough for that." He could tell that happy tears were seconds from falling down her pretty little cheeks. He pinched an inch of skin on her arm, not too hard.

"Ow. What was that for?" Olivia rubbed her arm.

"You were about to cry." Fitz grinned like a little schoolboy. "And I don't want your makeup to run. So no crying, ok?"

Olivia rolled her eyes and laughed as she playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "You are such a cornball."

As the limo pulled up to the drop off area, a tuxedoed man opened the door for Olivia and helped her out. She thanked him as she gathered the skirt of her dress to pull out of the car. Immediately, Fitz was by her side, offering his arm to her.

"Anna said she would meet us after pictures." They started towards where the photographers were stacked in bleachers and furiously snapping at the people posing on the carpet in front of them. Olivia did her solo pictures, skillfully posing and smiling. She motioned for Fitz to join her and he did. After a lifetime of navigating red carpets, Fitz had never head a crowd of photographers go so insane over a couple. They screamed their name like it was the end of the world. He could see that Olivia was coming into her own space on the red carpet. With his arm around her waist, she turned and confidently shot the cameras over the shoulder looks.

"Can I kiss you on the cheek?" Fitz asked. He always wanted her to be comfortable with the amount of PDA shown in front of the cameras. She smiled slyly giving him the greenlight, as he leaned down and pressed his lips to the side of her face. The photographers went insane. Olivia laced her fingers through his and they walked away from the carpet, giving other celebrities their chance at it.

Anna was waiting at the end with a tablet in her hand and a headset on her head. "Yeah, ok. Look, tell her to avoid him at all costs. That is a mess I do _not_ want to have to clean up. I have to go. Bye." She turned to them and embraced Liv. "You look gorgeous! Look at Twitter. Olivia Pope is trending in the third spot, and look at the eighth spot. Olitz! You already have a couple name! Switching gears here, the lineup is pretty easy. It's just a straight shot to the door. If you don't want to do one, I'm fine with you skipping it. Just as long as you hit the major ones… E!, ABC, and NBC. If you need me, just call me. I'll be around." Anna ran off to tend to one of her several clients at the show.

"Olitz, huh? I like it." Fitz smirked.

"Do you want to do the interviews with me?" Olivia smiled and bit her lip slightly. "I think that it would be fun to have you by my side."

"Of course." Fitz squeezed her hand and led her to the first platform, helping her up the steps.

"I'm here with Olivia Pope, nominated for best actress tonight, and obviously also for best dressed. Hey, Olivia, you look beautiful, what are you wearing?"

"Awe, thank you, Bill. I'm wearing a custom Elle Reynolds."

"Are those actual flowers in your hair? How unique!"

"Thank you. It was a snap decision in the hotel room before we came." Olivia laughed. Fitz loved how she could snap into a celebrity mode, joking with reporters.

"Okay, so this is your first Academy Awards. How can you describe your feelings right now?"

"This is so surreal! Fitz has been pinching me all day, so I know I'm not dreaming."

"Fitzgerald Grant, it's good to see you. How are you feeling tonight?" The reporter extended his hand and Fitz shook it.

"I just feel immense pride in Olivia. I'm looking forward to having a good time tonight."

"So, what's next for Olivia Pope?"

Olivia laughed an infectious laugh. "That is a _really_ good question, Bill. Um… I just finished shooting a film with Abbey Whelan that should be out mid-summer, but other than that, I haven't the faintest idea."

"Well good luck with that, and I wish you two the best. Back to you, Sharon!"

They descended the platform and proceeded in the line of interviews. They were pretty eventless, with the standard _what are you wearing_ questions. They entered the theater with some time to spare, so they went to the bar for glasses of champagne. Olivia texted Anna, letting her know that they were inside. They talked to some of the other attendants before the lights flashed, letting them know that the show was about to start.

Olivia and Fitz took their seats on the center of the front row, in between Meryl Streep and John Legend. The host was hilarious, roasting everybody in the crowd. They cracked a joke about the whole Cyrus situation, but in good taste. During the first commercial break, Olivia checked her phone for news updates. She was listed as the best dressed on almost every blog.

As the show winded down, and a pit of anxiety formed in Olivia's stomach. Eddie Redmayne ascended the stage to receive the award for Best Actor. Fitz held her hand and whispered in her ear. "You have permission to squeeze this hand as hard as possible in the next five minutes.

Matthew McConaughey walked on the stage and read the list of nominees. As he called Olivia's name for _Underground Kings_ , the camera man crouched in front of her pointed the camera at her to show her picture next to the name. Olivia smiled weakly and clapped to the other names. He finished the names and broke the seal.

"And the Oscar goes to…"

Fitz's hand was practically purple beneath Olivia's death grip.

"OLIVIA POPE FOR _UNDERGROUND KINGS."_

The orchestra swelled and everyone stood to applaud. It took Olivia a second to stand and when she did, she was positive that her legs would give out at any second. He saw Fitz beaming, clapping as wildly as his hands would go. She pulled him in to kiss. He cradled her face with his hands and gave her the most energizing kiss. He held her forehead against his before pulling away and whispered, "You fucking did it, babe. You won. This is all you. Now go, get your statue."

Olivia nodded at his words, still in somewhat of a trance. She climbed the stairs, her dress billowing behind her. Matthew handed her the gold statuette and kissed her cheek. She walked to the tiny microphone. The spotlight shone on her and she blinked at the crowd of people staring at her. Her mind finally grasped what was going down as she realized she was crying.

"Oh my God. I… uh… Earlier, Fitz told me _'no crying'_ and I think I just broke that."

Everyone laughed. Words began to come back to her mind.

"I would like to thank the Academy. Thank you for bestowing this honor on me. Putting me in the same category as these beautiful women who all gave breathtaking performances is an honor alone. I would also like to thank the director, Mike. I know I was a pain in the ass to work with, but I guess it paid off. Harrison Wright, I couldn't have asked for a better screen partner. Thank you to Oliver and Janice for penning this story. You breathed life into the darkest times of American History, and from that came this beautiful character that I have was blessed to portray. Because of films like this, we are reminded of not only how far we've come, but how far we still have to go. Thank you Thomas Jones, Joan Hardy, Lynn Jakobson. Thank you Anna, I wouldn't be here without you."

She couldn't stop the next few words coming from her mouth.

"Daddy—if you're watching this—I love you. You have a bigger role in putting me here than you think."

Her eyes settled on Fitz who was smiling so wide and his eyes were glistening with tears.

"Fitz, baby, I love you. You are my rock."

Olivia clinked her infinity ring against the Oscar statuette—a gesture only he would understand.

"This is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Thank you."

She bowed away from the microphone as the orchestra played her out. Matthew led her backstage. There were many hugs and tears on Olivia's part. Fitz made it backstage at the first possible opportunity. She saw him from a distance as they weaved their way through the crowd to each other. Olivia slung her arms around his neck, hugging him so tight. He picked her up, squishing her against him to where there was no inch of space between them.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered in her ear as he set her back down.

Olivia laughed as Fitz wiped away the fresh set of tears rolling down her cheek with a handkerchief. She looked down at the gold statuette in her hand and back at him. Anna came speed walking through the crowd to congratulate Olivia.

"Enjoy your night, but have your ass in my office by the end of tomorrow." She joked as she hugged Olivia. "But enjoy yourself. Check your emails for the schedule of after parties."

Anna scurried off and Olivia pulled her phone out of her clutch. She scrolled through the missed calls and messages. Most, she could respond to in the morning, but one stopped her in her tracks.

 _Rowan Pope: 1 missed call_

"Fitz, I need to make a call."

"Okay babe. I'll be waiting over there."

Olivia found a quiet spot along a hallway and dialed her father's number.

"Olivia?" His voice came through sounding like it always does. Familiar, but cold and distant as usual.

"Daddy? Did you hear?"

"Of course." An awkward silence fell between them. The last time they spoke was Christmas, which was no more than a two minute conversation over the phone. The last time before that was the Christmas before that. "I am proud of you."

There it was. The words she had always wanted to hear. She gave up hope of ever hearing them from him, since she strayed from his path of becoming a Harvard lawyer and became an actress.

"Thank you."

"I know I have been an insolent ass to you."

"Dad—"

"No, I have. And I'm sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, after the way I've treated you, but I am proud of you. I just wanted to let you know that."

"Come out to LA." Olivia blurted. "I'll pay for your ticket, and you can stay with me. You can come anytime you want. I would love to have you."

Rowan got silent, as he didn't know how to accept generosity, or he was genuinely surprised that she would say something like that.

"I would like that."

"Okay. Come whenever. My house is always open."

"You should probably be getting back to your parties." His voice sounded somber. She could just see him sitting in his study with a glass of wine and a classic novel resting in his lap. He probably had his reading glasses on.

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later, okay? Just call me."

"Goodbye, Olivia."

Olivia went to find Fitz and saw that Best Picture had just been announced, and the show was wrapping up.

"Everything is ok?" Fitz asked.

"Yeah. That was my dad."

"Oh?" Fitz raised his eyebrows. Olivia's father was not a subject he ever broached. He didn't know specifics, but he knew that he made her very sad over the years.

"Yeah, but it's all good." Olivia took his hand and patted it as if to make her point, "I'm good. We're good."

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's go."

Olivia linked her arm around his as they walked out of the theater. The wind whipped up an unusually brisk gust, lifting sheets of Olivia's dress up in the process. Fitz immediately shed his jacket and hung it around Olivia's shoulders. Hal led them to the waiting car. When the car door shut, blocking out the chaos.

It was their first quiet moment since she won the award. Fitz's jacket swallowed Olivia's frame as she hugged it around her. They sat across from each other in the limo, just smiling at each other. Olivia was too happy to even speak. She wanted to commit this moment to memory forever. The limo pulled out and headed on the route to the first after party.


	16. Dance With Somebody

I Wanna Dance With Somebody—Whitney Houston

Clock strikes upon the hour  
And the sun begins to fade  
Still enough time to figure out  
How to chase my blues away  
I've done alright up to now  
It's the light of day that shows me how  
And when the night falls, loneliness calls

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody  
With somebody who loves me

* * *

"Okay, now, hold still."

 _Flash._

Olivia had her back turned to the photographer. She was standing next to Fitz. Fitz was facing the photographer with one hand in his pocket, and his left hand reaching around to rest on Olivia's right hip. Olivia's left hand was grasping the Oscar and hoisted against Fitz's stomach. Her face was turned to give the profile of her smiling up at Fitz, while he stared at the camera lens. They looked like a classical painting, ready to be hung in the Louvre.

The photographer clicked a couple of more times.

"That is great. These will be on Vanity Fair's website in a couple of minutes." The photographer nodded as he ushered them on and the next celebrity took their place.

Olivia took Fitz's hand in her free hand as they walked into the party to find it already in full swing. Olivia and Fitz mingled with the other guests.

Harrison came up and picked Olivia up in a big friendly hug and spun her around once. "Congratulations, Liv."

"Thank you." Olivia laughed as she caught her breath. "I can't believe that is it for _Underground Kings_. I really hope we can work together again."

"Yeah, same." Harrison turned to Fitz. "Hey, man. It's been a while." Harrison and Fitz began an in depth discussion about the LA Kings. Olivia spotted Abbey across the ball room.

"I'm going to go talk to Abbey." Olivia told Fitz as she made her way in her direction. Abbey saw Olivia about halfway along her trek across the crowded room, and her reaction had Olivia laughing. Abbey elbowed her way—almost rudely—through the crowd.

"Oh my God, Liv! What the hell? CONGRATULATIONS!" Abbey pulled Olivia in for a hug. Olivia was getting used to those that night. When Olivia pulled back, they shared a squealing moment before catching their breath. "Let me see it! Let me hold it!" Abbey insisted.

Olivia handed over the gold statuette.

"It's heavier than I would expect."

"I know." Olivia looked back for Fitz, but couldn't find him or Harrison. "Let's get a table. I'm thirsty."

"You have earned the right to get as plastered as you want tonight. Nobody will judge." Abbey joked as they chose a circular booth to slide into. "In fact, I think everyone here would pay to see you drunk."

"I'm not going to get drunk. But I am going to have a good time." Olivia texted Fitz, letting him know where to find her. They ordered their drinks. Everyone stopped by to wish her congratulations. Everyone, of course, including all of the professional athletes, Grammy winning singers, billionaire CEOs, and Hollywood stars. Olivia's head was spinning after LeBron James hugged her. Harrison and his fiancé joined them at their table.

"Where's Fitz?" Olivia asked.

"He said he'd be over here in a second. He said he had some 'business' to take care of." Harrison pointed over to a corner where Fitz was conversing with a beautiful woman. Olivia couldn't make out who it was, but she was tall with really dark skin. Olivia deduced that she was a model, judging by her toned legs displayed in her sheer dress with intricate gold detailing. Olivia remembered seeing that dress on the Alexander McQueen runway. "I don't know what business he would have with _Naomi Campbell_ , but he said it would only take a minute."

"Oh." Olivia took sip of her drink as she watched them interact. Naomi Campbell was definitely someone intimidating. Naomi pulled her hair over her shoulder as she laughed and leaned into Fitz. Fitz talked animatedly with his hands, laughing through it all. Olivia felt a petty pang of jealousy. But that was ridiculous. She dismissed the emotion as she turned back to her friends.

Mellie showed up to the table. Olivia pulled her in for a long hug. She spoke softly enough to where only Mellie could hear. "Thank you, Mellie. This wouldn't be possible without you. Everything you went through… Thank you."

"Anything for a friend. And you deserved it. Congratulations."

"Come, sit."

After a couple of minutes, the DJ put on a classic song, and Olivia's head immediately perked up. As Whitney Houston's classic vocals filled the ballroom, Olivia looked for Fitz, but he wasn't at his former location. Naomi was, but she was talking to someone else. She desperately searched the crowd, trying to find him. Then she felt a hand start at her shoulder and trace itself all the way down to her hand.

"Dance with me."

She kicked her shoes off under the table, "Ok."

Olivia left her Oscar at the table as she joined Fitz on the dancefloor. Olivia felt the slightest effects of the alcohol, which put her right where she wanted to be. They unwound on the dancefloor, having the time of their lives to the upbeat music.

 _Oh, I wanna dance with somebody / I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody / With somebody who loves me_

Olivia twirled and sashayed until her feet hurt. She danced with everyone from Jared Leto to John Legend and of course Fitz. Olivia dragged Fitz into the photo booth, where they shared several goofy pictures. Around midnight, they decided to move on to the Governor's Ball.

They slid into the back of the limo. Olivia leaned forward to set her Oscar on the tiny shelf.

"Hold on, let me fix this." She felt Fitz's fingers in her hair, tenderly securing a flower that almost fell out. "There."

Olivia turned around to face Fitz. He couldn't quite read her expression, but she had a slight smile curving the corner of her mouth.

"What?" Fitz asked, rubbing his hand along her bare back.

"Do we have to go to the Governor's Ball Party?" She placed her hand on his thigh, ever so lightly. He watched as she pulled her bottom lip halfway in by her teeth and released it.

"What would we do instead?" He lowered his voice slightly.

Olivia slid away and pulled the partition that disconnected them from the driver down. She whispered some directions into the driver's ear and pulled the partition back up. Fitz felt the car ease forward as Olivia slowly undid his bowtie.

"Where are we going?" Fitz asked as she unbuttoned his top button, giving him some breathing room.

"I can't tell you."

Fitz pulled her onto his lap and trailed her kisses along her neck. Olivia immediately met his mouth with hers as they took their time, softly kissing each other. Fitz softly palmed her ass, content to just feel the curves and edges of her perfect body on top of his.

The limo jolted slightly as it pulled off of the smooth asphalt onto a rough gravel road. Olivia broke the kiss and smiled mischievously.

"Where are we?"

"Shhhhh." Olivia kissed his lip before climbing off of his lap. "Follow me." She led him out of the car and Fitz looked around at his surroundings. He could hear the Pacific Ocean and there seemed to be thick vegetation around. Then, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, it hit him: it was the beach he took her to four years ago. The beach where they swam and came so close to making love.

"Livvie, I can't believe this. How did you find this place? After all of these years."

"I was an observant little 22 year old?"

They walked down to the beach that they fell in love on four years ago. The full moon cast a silver streak across the waves. Olivia had handfuls of her dress bunched up to keep from dragging. When they were on the sand, she let her skirt down and walked into the ocean breeze, inhaling deeply.

Fitz watched Olivia's silhouette in the full moon light. She looked like an angel, and he couldn't quite figure out how he deserved her. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him. Her arm hooked back around to grab ahold of the curls at the base of his neck.

"Do you remember swimming, just over there?" Fitz pointed to the rock that they raced to a lifetime ago. Memories flooded back of them kissing, frolicking, and falling in love flooded both of their minds.

"Do you remember what you almost did over there?" Olivia's voice was low as she pointed to a patch of sand.

Fitz kissed her cheek and pulled her closer to him. After a couple of moments of content silence, Fitz spoke again. "I'm going to marry you one day, Livvie." He mumbled softly against her ear. She stiffened and took a step forward, falling out of his arms.

"Fitz…" Olivia took a couple more steps towards the ocean. She clasped her hands together and tried her hardest not to wring them. Tears pricked her eyes.

"Liv, say something." Fitz didn't take a step towards her, but he prayed he would turn around and face him. "Tell me what you are thinking, because I just told you what I was thinking."

Olivia finally turned around, her brow was crinkled with thought. "I love you."

"I know that." Fitz replied. He held his hand out for her, and she took it in between her two hands.

"And that is all that I can offer at this moment." She said as she started at his large hand clasped in her two small ones.

"Okay." Fitz brought his other hand to her cheek and pulled her closer until their noses were practically touching. "Then that is enough for me." He kissed her nose.

Olivia wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him, burying her face in his chest. He heard her faintly mumble _thank you_ into his tuxedo shirt.

"Come on, let's get home." Fitz spoke into her hair. He helped her make her way up the winding path. When they got inside the limo, Fitz gave the driver instructions to go to his apartment. The exhaustion of the day caught up to her as she laid her head in Fitz's lap. She drifted into a light sleep, clutching the Oscar to her chest. Fitz thought the image was so adorable that he snapped a picture, uploading it to Instagram.

They arrived at Fitz's city apartment a little past one in the morning. He woke Olivia with a kiss to her cheek as they entered. Fitz expected Olivia to be tired, but the second they were alone in the elevator, Olivia practically jumped Fitz, kissing him passionately. She hiked her leg up against his hip, grinding subtly against him. He moaned at the friction, causing her to increase the intensity of her gyrations. The elevator dinged open, and Fitz guided her to his apartment.

Olivia began unclipping the multiple pins holding her hair up, and letting the flowers fall to the floor. Fitz unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor with the discarded flowers and leaving a topless Olivia in only a thong. Fitz leaned back and licked his lips at the view, before Olivia's nimble fingers flew to the articles of clothing restraining him.

They had every intention of making it to the bedroom, but passion overtook them as Fitz pressed Olivia against the glass sliding door. He placed sloppy, open mouthed kisses down her torso, until he was face to face with her thong. He slid it down to her ankles as he hooked one led over his shoulder. Olivia reached for something to help support herself, but there was nothing but the smooth, cold glass against her back.

Fitz kissed her freshly waxed skin and her thighs, worshipping every inch. Olivia's knees began to feel weak just in the anticipation. Olivia moaned loudly when he used his two fingers to pull her lips apart and blew softly on her clit. She leaned her head back against the glass as Fitz began to lick up and down her sex. She had nothing to do with her hands but pleasure herself with her breasts.

She had no idea how much that turned Fitz on. Olivia could feel vibrations as she tried to focus her mind which was shattered into hazy waves of pleasure. Fitz was murmuring six words into her bundle of nerves.

 _Academy_

 _Award_

 _Winning_

 _Actress_

 _Olivia_

 _Pope_

Fitz took her clit in his mouth, sucking on it roughly. Intense orgasm after orgasm ripped through her petite frame. He supported her with his arms. Olivia's forehead was glistening with perspiration as she finally came down from her sexual high.

Olivia pulled him up to her level as she kissed him passionately. She slid her arms down to his ass, and then wrapped her tiny hands around his cock, slowly pumping. Fitz was immediately putty in her hands, moaning into her neck and kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Turn around." Fitz growled into her ear, and she obeyed. She put her hands flat against the glass as she arched her back. Fitz kissed the plane of her back as he used his leg to slide hers open. He teased her with his tip before entering from behind. The union of them was almost too much to begin with. Fitz placed his hands over Olivia's intertwining their fingers. He bit down lightly on her shoulder. She felt _too_ good, _too_ warm, _too_ tight.

Fitz snaked one hand down to her breasts, teasing and twisting her nipples in his hands. He could tell by her unintelligible cries that he was doing something right. He could feel himself about to explode, so he reached down to her bundle of nerves and rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger.

Olivia's walls contracted around his dick as she screamed his name. Her coming around him was the final push as he followed right behind her. They slid to the ground, exhausted, and in a haze of lust and love.

/

Olivia woke up with the sunshine blinding her. She was completely naked, snuggled beneath a thick blanket. She saw her gown draped over the chair. She saw a pile of flowers and bobby pins on the floor. Then she saw her Oscar, gleaming in the morning—or afternoon?—light. A giddy grin came across her face as she sat up, pulling the blanket around her.

She heard a clang of pots and pans coming from the kitchen. She followed the noise to find Fitz flipping pancakes shirtless, with a pair of sweatpants hanging dangerously low on his hips.

"Good morning." He called out like he could sense her presence. As if she hadn't been as quiet as a mouse.

"Good morning." Olivia went up to him and hugged him from behind. She kissed his back and inhaled his scent. He smelled like body wash and aftershave. "You showered without me." She pouted.

She could feel his laugh rumble his chest. "I wasn't going to wake you."

"What time is it?"

"About 10:30ish."

Olivia went to pour herself a glass of water. She sat down at a bar stool and watched Fitz flip the pancakes.

"What's on your agenda for today?"

"I need to go by Anna's. I also need to write thank you notes to some people after last night, and make a lot of phone calls."

Fitz prepared their plates with some cut up fruit and sat down next to Olivia to eat.

"I'll be at the office all day. I need to develop the film from New York. I'll be flying back on Wednesday to attend some more meetings."

Olivia tried not to sound too disappointed. "How long will you be gone?"

"For a week. Then I'll fly back and spend a few days here, then I'll have to go back. It will take about two weeks to shoot. Then it's to the editing room."

"Is that why you were talking to Naomi Campbell last night?" Olivia popped a piece of cantaloupe in her mouth.

Fitz tried to keep a neutral face. "I can't say. It is all still top secret."

Olivia shot him a look that made him laugh.

"Sorry. It kills me just as much. You'll have to wait to see the final product like the rest of the world."

Olivia ran her hand along his thigh. "I'm going to miss you while your 3,000 miles away."

Fitz subconsciously held his breath as her hand ventured further up his leg before retreating back in a pattern. "I'll be working pretty long days."

"What about _nights_?" Olivia bit her lip and let her hand wander even closer than before. Fitz could feel himself harden in his sweatpants.

"I think that nights could work."

Olivia leaned forward to where her lips were millimeters from his ear. He could feel her breath on his earlobe. "Since, you already showered, I guess I'll have to do the job by myself. Then, I'm going to go run my errands and let you get to work." She stood up to go towards the bathroom, but Fitz grabbed her blanket, pulling it off of her as she passed. She walked on, unfazed, and stark naked. He just watched in amazement as she disappeared into the bathroom. He immediately put their dishes in the sink and followed her.

Fitz could hear the shower running. He slipped into the bathroom as quiet as possible. Through the fogged up glass, he saw Olivia lathering her body, rubbing the loofah over her skin. Fitz dropped his sweatpants and entered behind her, stealing the loofah from her and continuing her work. She relaxed, leaning back into his hands. His erection bore into her back.

Fitz dropped the loofah, just using his hands to massage the suds into her skin. He palmed her breasts. Her moans encouraging him on. He slipped one hand down past her belly button to her between her legs. Olivia's head fell back against his shoulder and her mouth fell open in a pleasured " _o_ ".

"You're so ready." Fitz murmured into her ear as he massaged her clit in slow, torturing patterns. "Are you ready for me?"

All Olivia could do was mutter an unintelligible string of syllables, hoping that he got the message. He turned her around and picked her up by her waist. Olivia called out at the friction as he lowered her on his cock. He let her walls get accustomed to his size before lifting her back up and pulling her back down.

Olivia's fingers dug into Fitz's muscular back as she tried to process the pain and pleasure coursing through her body. Fitz pressed her up against the shower wall for leverage as he found a comfortable rhythm. They were being rougher than usual, but neither one seemed to mind. Olivia moved her hands to his hair, guiding his mouth to hers. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, dueling against him for control.

"Come for me, Livvie." Fitz growled against her throat as he pulled her down extra hard. Olivia let go, her face contorting into a candid portrait of her pleasure. He tenderly kissed her cheek, chin, nose, and parted lips before spilling into her.

Fitz pulled out and set her feet back down on the tile. He picked the loofah up off of the ground and applied more soap, washing her off. Olivia returned the favor. After washing his abs, she started to slide the soapy suds further down. Fitz grabbed her wrists, halting her movements.

"Unless you want to spend fifteen more minutes in here, I better do that." Fitz smirked as he finished the job.

They dried off and went to get dressed. Olivia has enough supplies at Fitz's place to get ready with. He watched her in the bathroom apply her makeup and fix her hair. She caught his gaze in the mirror, smiling slightly.

"What?" She went back to finishing her mascara.

"I don't think I can do this New York thing. I don't think I can be away from you for that long."

Olivia set the mascara wand down and turned around to face him. "You can, and you will. Because you have to show everyone what a brilliant director you are."

Fitz gave her a sweet peck on the lips. "I love you, Livvie."

"I love you too." She smiled as she went back to her makeup. "You will be working so hard, you won't even notice I'm not there."

"I wish." Fitz kissed her shoulder. "I'm going to go now."


	17. Battle Cry

Battle Cry—Angel Haze

Start creating the leaders, tell 'em who they should follow  
Nobody but themselves, especially if they hollow  
Especially when they empty and death reserves for fulfillment  
You the only person alive who holds the key to your healin'  
So you take it and you run with it  
And keep going even when your suns hidden  
Because the time we spend in darkness when the rain comes  
Is where we often find the light soon as the pain's done

* * *

Olivia groaned as she looked at her alarm clock. _4:28_. She still had an hour and a half before she had to get up and face the world. Just out of curiosity, she let her fingers wander to the other side of the bed. Cold. Again. She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She allowed her mind to wake up so she could do the simple math. It was probably 7:30 on the east coast.

He would be awake.

He would probably be straightening his tie in the mirror right now. Or maybe he got a head start and was already in the taxi on the way to work. She opened her phone and pulled up his contact. Seconds later, his deep baritone was filling her ears as she pulled the covers up around her in her tiny cocoon of warmth.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

"Good morning, babe." Olivia smiled. She could hear faint background noise. "What are you doing?"

"I got a head start today, so I decided to spend my morning in this cute little café. I've got a meeting in thirty minutes, and we'll finally start shooting this afternoon."

"That's great."

Fitz originally planned to spend a week in New York City, fly home for a couple of days, then fly back to shoot, but with an emergency _that he couldn't even reveal because of the secrecy of the project_ came up, he had to stay on the East Coast. It had been almost two weeks since she had touched him, and it was driving her crazy. Luckily, her work had kept her busy, but not busy enough.

"So what are your plans for the day?" Fitz took a sip of his coffee.

"I've got to shoot that PSA against domestic violence in the morning, then I thought I might go swim some laps. I've been falling off of my regime lately."

"I thought you were doing the PSA yesterday."

"I was, but they postponed it to today. Something about Madonna missing her flight or something."

"Oh. I see. Well it's great that you signed onto that. I bet it will get really good airplay."

"I hope so." A comfortable silence fell between them. Olivia sighed as she stretched, getting ready to leave her warm bed. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, Livvie."

"I should let you get to work. Knock 'em dead, baby."

"You should go back to sleep. It's too early for you to be up."

"Yeah, right. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Goodbye."

 _Click_.

Olivia slipped her feet onto the floor before making her way to the bathroom for her morning routine. She smiled to herself as she realized the lie she just told him. Yes, her scheduled filming had been postponed to that morning, but afterwards she wasn't going to go for a swim. She was going to get on a plane and fly across the country to surprise him. She figured that swimming would be a good enough excuse for her not getting to her phone if he called.

She knew that he would have a long day of work with his first day of shooting, so she was going to surprise him at his hotel room when he got back. He had been working so hard on the project, she wanted to give him a little night off to herself. Plus she

Olivia was amazed by how much her life had been changed by winning the Oscar. It was small things that seemed inconsequential, but she knew life was never going to be the same. She had to file for her house to be put under a special ordinance that protected it—and her—from paparazzi intrusion, and she noticed a higher number of fans bombarding her out in public.

/

Fitz helped one of the gaffers pack up a lighting bag. The first day of shooting was a success. It was such a relief to get the ball rolling. Fitz made the directorial decision to film it in some form chronological order, filming it section by section. On the last day of preplanning, one of the main models got arrested for a DUI, so they had to scramble to find a replacement with just as much star power. It meant he couldn't go home to see his Olivia, but at least they hadn't fallen behind schedule.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." The gaffer nodded as he loaded the bag into the equipment truck.

"Yeah, bright and early." Fitz smiled as he walked said goodnight to the few remaining crew members and walked off of the set. Hailing a taxi, he went to his hotel in silence. It was late, so he opted to order room service. Fitz was grateful to be the only person in the elevator on the ride up. He pulled his phone out to call Olivia. She answered on the second ring, her voice bringing much relief to his tired body.

"Hi." There was an air of amusement and something else to her voice that he couldn't quite figure out.

"Hi."

"I know you can't tell me about your day, but was it good or bad?"

"Good. Really good. What about yours? How was your swim?"

The elevator dinged open, and Fitz walked out into the corridor.

"It was alright. The pool was nearly empty, so I got a good workout." There was a pause, and Fitz was certain he heard soft jazz in the background. "Where are you now?"

"I'm almost to my hotel room to retire for the night."

When he reached the room, he could've sworn that the music he heard on the phone was coming from his room. He inserted the room key and walked in.

The music grew louder. The lights were on, but dimmed. He curiously walked past the mini corridor to see the curtains pulled back to reveal the breathtaking twilight skyline of the city. The music was coming from an iPod speaker, and lying on the bed was the most beautiful angel he had ever seen.

Olivia was lying on her stomach on the king sized bed in a lavender lingerie set that he was certain he had never seen before. Her ass was peeking deliciously out of her lace thong and her back was slightly arched as she was propped on her elbows. Her skin glowed in the dim lighting. Fitz followed his gaze up her toned back to where her breasts were spilling out of her demi cup bra. Her hair hung in loose curls over her shoulder.

"Hi." She whispered into the cell phone before hanging up and dropping it onto the plush down comforter. She looked like a vision. Like the most aesthetically pleasing scene that any director could dream up. She giggled at his gaping mouth as he looked on in astonishment. "Aren't you going to take off your coat?"

Fitz removed his coat and scarf. As he peeled his winter layers off, he couldn't take his eyes off of Olivia. She was mesmerizing. She rolled over onto her back and stretched out, knowing what the sight of her body so scantily clad would do to him. Mischievous fires dancing behind her eyes. Fitz crossed the room and climbed onto the bed next to her. Without saying a word, he ran his hand up and down the curvature of her body, reaching around to her ass and down her thighs.

"Are you even real?" He whispered, bringing his hands up to her face, softly running his thumb over her lips.

"Kiss me and find out." Olivia barely breathed. The desire nearly over took her as he pulled her body against his and kissed her. She moaned into his mouth as she hitched a leg over his, eliminating any space between them. Olivia nibbled on his bottom lip as he rolled on top of her.

"I've missed you so much." He mumbled into her neck as he explored his favorite places.

"I missed you too. Baby, that's why I'm here." She ran her hands all over his muscular form, recommitting it to memory.

Fitz moved down on her, unclasping her bra and pulling her lace thong down as he placed kisses along her torso. He removed his own boxers and took a moment to admire her pure, naked, panting body, tight in all of the right places. Olivia flipped them over so that she was straddling him. She was in control now. She kissed along his jaw as she lined her sex up with his. She slid his tip along her slit, both of them gasped at the sensation.

"Please." Fitz gasped as she finally lowered herself on his hardened cock. Their union in the most intimate form brought tears to Olivia's eyes as she found a rhythm, taking a little more of him inside of her each time. Fitz palmed her exposed breasts as she rode up and down. Her loud cry of pleasure almost made him cum on the spot.

Olivia lowered herself so she could kiss him. They hungrily fought for each other's tongues amidst their moans and gasps. Fitz slid a hand down to her clit, skillfully giving her the powerful release she had been longing for so long. As she clenched around his member, screaming his name in barely coherent syllables. Fitz grabbed her roughly by the hips, prolonging her orgasm and bringing on his own.

They collapsed, a heap of spent limbs and heavy breathing. Fitz pulled the covers back and situated them in their familiar position of Olivia being curled into his side with her head on his chest.

"I can't believe you came." Fitz ran his hand up and down her side. "I love you so fucking much."

Olivia raised her eyes to his and craned her neck to kiss his jaw. "I love you too. It doesn't even really seem like those words cover what I feel for you, but I love you."

Fitz kissed the called up room service, and they ate dinner in bed, feeding each other, naked, beneath the sheets.

/

Olivia woke up to a pair of familiar lips being pressed against her forehead. She mumbled as she fought against her sleep.

"Good morning, love." Fitz whispered as he pulled away.

"Wai—wait." Olivia blindly reached out, not wanting to open her eyes just yet. She fumbled with the collar of his shirt as she pulled him back to her. She sought out his lips with her own as she languidly kissed him on the lips. Fitz melted into her kiss as he sat on the edge of the bed. They finally withdrew, in desperate need of air. Olivia was wide awake now, panting softly with her hair adorably cascaded around her face.

"Okay, now I'm awake." She smiled back at him. Fitz ran his fingers through her unruly curls. "Have fun at work."

"I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Okay."

Fitz reluctantly removed himself from the warm bed and went to don his coat and leave. Olivia watched him leave before checking the clock. It was barely six am. She yawned against her worn out body from the night before and the added jet lag. She slipped back into a comfortable sleep.

She woke up nearly 3 hours later. Slightly disoriented by sleeping in, she took a shower and decided to go shopping. You couldn't tell by the brutal cold outside, but spring was approaching California, and it wouldn't hurt to update her wardrobe.

As she stepped out into the freezing air, she was reminded how much she missed the city. It was an odd, bittersweet feeling. Her Julliard years were such a lovely nostalgic period of her life. She was out on her own, perfecting her craft, and living up her youth. She might have had some separation issues with her father and his whole disapproval of her career choice, but that rebellion added to a sense of adventure that made the city so much more exciting. But then, there was the sting of her return to the city. When she was clutching her stomach, barely able to breathe, on that painful plane ride after Fitz had broken her heart and career. The shame of returning as a failure. All of her hard work and persistence would be tarnished by the hurtful words of that article. Even though she had forgiven Fitz and their love was impenetrable, the lingering emotions from that depression still stung.

Olivia thought about the irony of it all. Her career had not allowed her to have any time alone in NYC that wasn't business related in four years. Now, in her return, she was in love, in the most secure position emotionally, and her career couldn't be any more successful. It was such a 180, that it made her laugh out loud as she walked into the first shop she saw.

By midafternoon, her arms were weighed down by multiple shopping bags, and she was starving. She dropped her bags off at the hotel room and set out again to find food. She found an authentic Greek restaurant, so she sat in the window booth and ordered a salad. She ate slowly, watching the bustling pedestrians from her perched vantage point. An older couple, swinging their clasped hands and comfortably joking with one another. A man, probably fresh out of college, half jogging in a clean suit with a deli sandwich in one hand and a briefcase in the other. A group of tourists, obviously gaping at the skyscrapers and nudging each other excitedly at the honking taxis. A clique of punk rock skateboarders, zooming past everyone, calling out half-hearted warnings to the other pedestrians.

One man looked strikingly familiar. He was tall, well over 6 feet. He had a newspaper tucked under his arm and his head was ducked against the cold. There was something special about his gait that gave Olivia a chilling sense of déjà vu. As he got closer, Olivia saw that he was on his cell phone. A man shoulder checked him accidentally, so the mysterious man lifted his head up to nod an apology. Olivia's insides froze as she recognized the figure.

 _Edison Davis_.

Olivia couldn't bring her eyes away from his face as her fork fell out of her hand and into the salad bowl. She regained her composure enough to drop her eyes, but not before he caught her glare. She cursed under her breath as his face lit up in recognition. He hastily hung up on his phone and entered the restaurant.

"Olivia Pope. I swear I must be dreaming." He smiled as he walked up to her table. Olivia sucked in her discomfort and put on an air of politeness.

"Hello Edison." She smiled as she gave him a friendly hug. "How have you been?"

"Getting by." Edison joked. "I don't have to ask you how you've been. I can get a picture from any major magazine. Wow. You've really exploded onto the scene."

"Yeah, don't believe everything you see." Olivia joked back.

"Well, you look great. That Los Angeles air really agrees with you."

"Thank you. Thank you." Olivia could feel an awkward breeze start to flow between them. He was so tall, he almost towered over her. She could feel herself being roped into a conversation with him. "Well, what are your plans for the next thirty minutes? You are welcome to join me." Olivia motioned to the chair across from her. "I mean, I don't want to make your late for work. You are probably just on our lunch break."

"Are you kidding me? If I come back saying I just had lunch with the famous Olivia Pope, I doubt anyone would reprimand me." Edison took his coat off and sat down across from her. "They barely believe me as it is, that we used to be _friends._ "

 **FOUR YEARS AGO**

Olivia sat on the edge of her bed, watching the sky outside of her window turn from black to dark blue. She was fully dressed, but she didn't want to move. She thought that maybe getting a job and her own apartment would make the hurt stop, or at least numb it some, but it didn't. She still felt just as empty on the inside. She got a tiny studio apartment that she thought would only be temporary. She got a job at a small financial consulting firm as a receptionist. She didn't have a plan or the slightest bit of guidance, she was just living day to day, trying to breathe.

She was up hours before she was supposed to be, but that was the norm now. When you hadn't had a good night's sleep in two months, insomnia became the normal. She knew it was probably taking a toll on her health, but she couldn't bring herself to care anymore.

In two hours hour, she would walk into her work and discover that she had a new boss: a young, charismatic, black, handsome boy fresh out of Columbia with a shiny new MBA. He would make her laugh and take the hurt away for a temporary fix.

Two weeks later, he would kiss her. She would cry in the bathroom afterwards, and he would never know.

Two days after that, he would ask her out to an expensive steak dinner. The date would end with her sucking him off in the cab afterwards, and leaving him dumbfounded as she slipped out of the cab, barely muttering good night.

The next month comprised of quickies in the bathroom, blow jobs in his office with the door locked, and nights where she never stayed the full night at his place.

Olivia didn't know why she did it. It made her feel cheap, but cheap was better than what she was feeling before. Edison would always try to prod something emotional out of her after her their encounters, but she would never relent. Every time he would rub her arm, attempting to soothe her, and ask what was on her mind, she would just squirm out of his arms and say it was time for her to go.

To Edison, she was a mystery. The tragic girl who wouldn't let anyone in, and often cried silent tears during their intercourse. Maybe that is what attracted her to their relationship, if you could even call it that. She had the power. She wasn't going to be taken advantage of anymore. It was toxic, but she wouldn't allow anyone to see her fucked up heart. One day, he would get tired of her ambiguity and track her down to her apartment. He knocked on her door and waited for an answer.

"What are you doing here?" Olivia asked as she cracked the door open.

"Can I come in?"

"How did you find where I live?"

"It wasn't that hard. We have your address on our books at the firm."

A silent pause as Olivia regarded him from the door. "Okay." The door opened, and Edison walked into the tiny apartment behind her. Olivia motioned for him to take a seat on the only chair as she sat on the edge of the bed and fixed her eyes on the skinny window letting in the evening sun in.

"Olivia—" Edison started, bringing her eyes to meet his. "I can't do what we are doing anymore."

She looked at him for a moment and then whispered, "Okay."

"Okay? That's it? Let me finish. I can't do this _quick fuck in the break room then go in the other direction without another word bull shit._ I want more. I want to be able to tell you about my day, then you communicate with me about yours. I want an actual relationship. Not whatever fucked up shit this is right now."

Olivia didn't say a word, but didn't break eye contact with him. Her eyes were empty and emotionless anyways, so it didn't give him any peace.

Edison continued, "You are so beautiful. You are so intelligent, too. Even though you do the menial tasks at work, I can see that you could do so much more. You went to Julliard, for Christ's sake. But it's like you are dead inside. You never smile unless you feel obligated. You never talk to me. You are amazing in bed. Amazing doesn't even cover it, but you deserve more."

He sat there and waited for a response. Olivia's eyes watered, but she didn't shed a tear. She took a deep breath and said a cryptic, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just tell me what has been dragging you against the bottom of the ocean. I care. You can talk to me."

Olivia dropped her eyes to the sunlit patch on the floor of the apartment. She fixated on the tiny dust particles swirling in the sunlight. She wouldn't say a word. Edison got on his knees in front of her. He took her hands in his. She didn't move away or even flinch, but her hands were limp in his.

"Whoever hurt you, whatever his name is, whatever he did, can't hold this power over you. You are your own person with so much potential. Let me help you."

Olivia wouldn't respond. She wasn't even sure if she knew how to. Or if she wanted to.

Edison found himself in a pool of frustration. He tightened his grip on her wrists, trying to get her attention.

"Dammit Liv!"

"Stop." She said, eerily calm.

"What?"

"You are hurting my wrists. I said, stop."

Edison looked down at his much larger hands clutched around her wrists. Horrified, he let go and stood up. He tried to softly touch her cheek, but she gave the smallest flinch, letting him know that his touch was not appreciated.

Edison's next words stung with bitterness, "I'm sorry, Liv. You need help. I just wish you would let me give it to you." He briskly walked out, slamming the door behind him.

 **PRESENT DAY**

"So, you are with that big shot director out in LA. What's his name, Grant?"

"Yeah, Fitz Grant." Olivia nodded in between bites of her salad.

Edison chuckled before posing his next question. "So, are all of the crazy tabloids and Hollywood horror stories true? About the cocaine and partying and scandals?"

Olivia shrugged, "Not really. It is definitely there. I just avoid it. It isn't healthy and I don't want to be sucked into that cycle. It is there, it just isn't as widespread as you might think."

"So are you happy?"

His blunt question almost made her choke on an olive. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry. That was probably too forward of me. It's just… The way you were four years ago. Our last conversation. I always wondered. You put in your two weeks' notice so quick, I didn't ever get a chance to check up on you. I have always wondered, though. I knew that you had so much potential."

Olivia smiled softly, focusing on stabbing a leaf of lettuce. "Yes. I'm happy, but could we not talk about back then? I was in a very toxic place, and I would like to forget it ever happened."

"Yes, sorry, of course."

Olivia didn't mean to make him feel uncomfortable, so she quickly changed the subject. "So, how has the firm been going? Are you running the place yet?"

Edison laughed, "No, I left last year. Now I work at Morgan Stanley's Brooklyn office a couple blocks over. I don't enjoy my work as much as I did at a small firm, but I have a pretty view from my office window, so I have maximum day dreaming potential."

His iPhone buzzed and he pulled it out to silence it. When he saw the message, he sighed. "Speak of the devil. I should probably be getting back."

They stood and didn't know how to part. Olivia reached out to hug him, and let him kiss her chastely on the cheek.

"It was really nice to see you again. I'm very glad life has treated you as well as you deserve."

"Goodbye Edison."

She watched him walk down the block, before throwing her money down on the table and heading back towards her hotel.


	18. There Will Be Tears

There Will Be Tears—Frank Ocean

There will be tears, I've no doubt  
There may be smiles but a few  
And when those tears have run out  
You will be numb and blue

 **I swear this chapter isn't as depressing as the song, I just need to get my sad songs out of the way while they are in this place.**

* * *

Fitz came back to find Olivia on the balcony of his suite. She had the hotel robe on over her silky pajama set and a knit hat pulled down low over her ears. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck.

"Hi, honey, how was work?" Olivia settled into his arms and kissed his bicep as it circled over her shoulder.

"Good. Good. Good. I don't think I've ever had a project run so smooth."

"That's nice." Her voice sounded distant, even though she was trying to seem genuine.

Fitz kissed her temple, "You should come inside. It is freezing outside. I had a quick dinner with some of the crew. Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, I wasn't sure how late you were going to be." Olivia followed him inside.

"So, what did you do all day?" Fitz removed layer by layer until he was in his undershirt and boxers.

"I went shopping, and explored the city."

"Did you buy a lot?"

"Yeah, they had a bunch of spring clothes out."

"Good." Fitz removed his shirt, walking over to Olivia to kiss her soundly on the lips. "I'm going to take a shower, want to join me?"

Olivia smiled and kissed him back. "Tempting, but I'll have to pass. I already showered, and I'm pretty tired."

"Alright," Fitz shrugged, "Your loss." He disappeared into the bathroom. Olivia took the robe and hat off and settled into the sheets. She pulled a script out of her bag and began to read it. Fifteen minutes later, Fitz returned from the bathroom with wet hair and a towel wrapped dangerously low on his hips looking like a Calvin Klein model. He changed into his pajama bottoms and climbed into bed with Olivia.

"Whatcha reading there?"

"A potential project. I think I'm going to have to turn it down, though. The character is rather flat." Olivia scribbled a note into the margins. "Tomorrow I have some meetings with a couple of producers and directors. There is even an open audition that I might try. They aren't expecting me, so it will be nice to go in and surprise them, you know? Be a regular auditionee. Then I'll probably fly back Friday morning."

Fitz turned to look at her, "So soon? You know you can stay here as long as you want."

"Yeah, I know. But you need to focus on work."

"I sleep better with you here." Fitz ran his hand up and down her thigh, non-sexually, just comforting.

"I know. I know." Olivia couldn't articulate what she wanted to, so she settled for a sigh. "I know."

"Liv, what's wrong?" Fitz propped himself up on one elbow to look her in the eyes.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

" _Nothing._ "

"Livvie." Fitz took the script out of her hands, dog eared her page, and set it on the night stand. "Talk to me."

"I just ran into an old acquaintance and it messed me up a little bit, that's all."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Fitz ran his hand over her stomach, softly soothing her. Olivia knew that it would do no good to keep these bottled up emotions inside of her. Plus, she felt like she was keeping this part of her life a secret and wanted Fitz to know about it.

"Fine. Come here." Olivia situated Fitz so that his head was in her lap and he was laying diagonally across the bed. She ran her fingers through his damp scalp, detangling some of the knots from the shower. "What I tell you is not to hurt you, okay? It is just the truth."

"Okay."

Olivia took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts. "After we broke up, I had to come back to New York and wait—hope—that the words from that article would blow over and not affect my career." She could feel him tense up when she mentioned their break up. All she could do was keep stroking his head and continue her story.

"It was rough. I rented a tiny studio apartment in an unsafe neighborhood. I got a job at a financial consulting firm. I was a secretary. I never saw a doctor, but I'm pretty sure I suffered from depression. And possibly insomnia. But I began work there, and I was making a living. My boss was a man named Edison. He took me out to dinner some nights. We were very… sexually active."

She could feel him become tenser and more uncomfortable with each admission. His jaw clenched but he didn't move or make a sound.

"I was mentally unstable. It didn't mean anything. I just wanted to forget anything that happened with you. I was toxic. I was convinced that my worth laid in between my legs, so why not give it away. Anyways, I left working there when he demanded for more out of our _relationship_ , if you could even call it that. In my mind, he was just a physical body that I used to fill me, which is disgusting on my part.

"All these years, my mind shaped him into some sort of self-pity scapegoat. _He_ was the reason that I was in such an awful state. He was a monster that kept me so depressed. Don't get me wrong, I blamed you for everything too, but I think I projected my insecurities and problems onto him at the time. When he asked me to open up to him and let him in, I saw him as a vulture waiting to hurt me…" Olivia barely whispered the next words. "Like you did."

She knew that every word was a stab to Fitz's heart, but she had to get this off of her chest so they could move past it. She ignored the silent tears gently sliding down her face.

"Well, I ran into him today. He saw me eating in a restaurant, and came in to say hi. He sat and talked for a little bit, and I don't know… It was weird. I had such a different perspective on what happened. I mean, I realized what a toxic influence _I_ was on _him_. I had built him up to be such a villain, when I was really the awful one. The whole time he was just wanting to get me help, and I was dragging him down with me. I'm glad he left me. Now I think he is happy, and I am obviously happy." Olivia ran her fingers over Fitz's forehead to emphasize her point.

"I tried to forget that that period of my life ever happened. Like my life only started when my career took off and got back on my feet. I just thought that wound was healed, but I guess it wasn't. It was nice to put a bookend to my relationship with him, and see it for what it was, but it hurts. To have that chapter of my life reopened in my face."

Olivia fought her urge to sob She took a deep breath as she channeled her composure. "That is why I'm kind of anxious to get out of here. This place just brings back some nasty memories. I feel like I'm suffocating. It has always been okay when I've been here on work, because it has been for only scheduled events where there is no time for my thoughts or free time. Being here on my own time, just…" Olivia trailed off and wiped her damp face.

Fitz sat up in the bed. His back was to her, but she could just see the tension in his shoulder blades.

"Fitz…" Olivia didn't know what to say. He was so unreadable. Was he…Angry? Sad? Tired? All of the above? Olivia scooted on her knees to be behind him. She wrapped her arms around his chest and laid her cheek against his back. She could feel his heart pounding through his back. "Baby, say something."

Fitz released a breath that he didn't even know he was holding in.

"I'm sorry. I am so fucking sorry. I'm…" Fitz dropped his face into his hands. Olivia's heart broke. She climbed around him and kneeled in front of him.

She pulled his face out of his hands to where he had to look her in the eyes. "Listen to me. I love you. It doesn't change what happened in the past, but I _love_ you. Present tense. I have forgiven you. I _forgive_ you. Also present tense. All that happened, happened and we can't change it. The love and happiness I feel right now overshadow any of what happened. I just need for you to be here with me now, and love me in the now. The past will come back and bite, and it will hurt, which is why I need you _to love me now_."

The tears were now flowing freely down her face whether she wanted them to or not. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him as his arms encircled her back and hugged her tighter.

"You're my best friend. You know that, right?" Olivia whispered into his shoulder, barely audible, but Fitz heard. They stayed in that embrace, comforting each other in different ways. Finally, Olivia got up to wash her face again.

They crawled back under the covers and nestled into their usual sleeping positions. Olivia pulled her nightgown off and rested her bare skin against Fitz. He knew she was doing it for comfort. She needed that skin on skin contact and reassurance. Fitz reached over to flip off the lamp. He kissed her forehead. Her hair had already sprawled out to claim its territory along his chest and shoulder.

"I don't deserve you."

He didn't get a response, which meant that she was already fast asleep.

/

The next morning, they showered together and got ready for their days. Fitz went on to the set and Olivia set out to attend her meetings. Olivia met with three companies. None of them really appealed to her. She was finding herself in the same rut of stereotypes and type-casting. Before she could get too frustrated, it was time for her open audition.

She walked into the waiting room and took her number and the auditioning material. Glancing around the room, there were at least thirty other girls around her age, thumbing through their scripts. Olivia had forgotten the excitement and nerves and projected bravado that came along with blindly auditioning. The energy was addictive. She put her headphones in and played some soft post-rock instrumental—a ritual she used to do. She noticed some of the girls eyeing her from the side, one with her mouth almost gaping open. It must be nerve wracking seeing the most recently Academy Award winner show up to an audition you thought you had a chance at. Olivia wished she could communicate to the girl that she had just as good of a chance.

A casting assistant began to call the others in one by one. Olivia memorized the lines as she waited, going over in her mind what she would emphasize and how she would inflect her syllables. She had one of the highest numbers, so she was amongst the last ones called in. Finally, she was called into the room.

Olivia walked into the room. It was bare except for a large window letting the afternoon sun light the place up and a table on the opposite side. Two casually well dressed black men, that both looked around twenty five sat behind the table. A video camera was set up, its red recording light flashed on and off.

"Hello." Olivia said confidently as she handed her file over to them and walked back into the audition space.

One guy stared at her like he was looking at a dream, then opened her file. He nearly stuttered, before saying, "Alright, uh, Ms. Pope. Please begin from the top of the page."

Olivia went right into her monologue, delivering it without any mistakes. When she finished, they thanked her, and she went on her way. She called an Uber to take her back to the hotel.

Just as the Uber pulled into the driveway of their hotel, Olivia's phone rang with an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" She answered, hesitant to get out of the warm cab and into the brisk March air. She motioned for the driver to hold for a minute.

"Hello, is this Ms. Pope?"

"Yes."

"Hey! This is Chase Flowers, the director of the film you just auditioned for. When would you be free to talk with us further about the role?"

"Oh, well, I am flying back to LA tomorrow morning, so it would have to be today, or I could be back on—"

"Today would be great!"

"Okay, I can come right now if that's okay."

"Perfect. I'll see you in a little bit."

"Alright, goodbye." Olivia hung up her phone and asked the driver to take her back from where she came. Thirty minutes later, she was dropped off at the building where she originally auditioned.

Chase met her at the door. "Miss Pope! Thank you for coming back."

"Well, I don't think I've ever gotten a call back this fast. It's very refreshing."

Chase motioned for her to come take a seat on a couch in an office. It was stylishly furnished, with a strong artistic aesthetic. There was no pretense or pretentiousness of a studio. He offered her a cup of tea.

"I won't lie. I was very surprised by you showing up today. How did you even find out about this?"

"I saw your documentary on the inequalities within the school system at Sundance a few years ago. I loved it. So I have kept tabs on you ever since. I saw some chatter online that you were making your first feature length fiction. So I got a hold of the script and time of the audition." Olivia shrugged like it was no big deal. Chase found this humility and simplicity endearing—Nothing of a spoiled diva he feared she would be.

"Okay, well, just to go over some details that would come with this project, Georgia is giving us a tax break, so we plan on filming in Atlanta for a majority of June and some of July. Of course, you'll need to be here in New York for rehearsals and what not before that."

Chase hesitated for a second, trying to find the right words to phrase what he wanted to say next, "and you know that we are unable to offer you a salary that you are…used to."

Olivia felt odd for a second. She felt like she was perceived as a diva out of touch with the "real world". In Los Angeles, Olivia always felt like the outsider, trying to prove her worth, but now she was in a situation where she was the person with the star capital. It was a little unsettling. Olivia smiled politely "You know I have acted in independent films before. I can deal without my own private trailer and five personal assistants." Her tone was light so he would know she was teasing.

Chase laughed and apologized.

"I'm not here for the money. I'm an actress, and I love acting. You wrote an interesting character that I believe I could do justice. I was intrigued by your script. It has potential. That is why I am here."

Olivia took a sip of her tea before continuing, "I don't want to get offered the role because I am Olivia Pope. I want to be offered the role because I was the most suitable actress you saw today. I'm not stupid, I know that it would make your life easier to hire me. Investors would start to pay attention and you would have an undeniable turnout when the movie hits theaters. I want you to choose me because you think I am the best artistic choice, and would bring the character to life in the way that you envision it."

Chase smiled as reached his hand across the couch and shook Olivia's.

"You're hired."

/

 **Fitz:** It looks like we are finishing up early tonight. Have dinner with me?

 **Olivia:** Of course. Where?

 **Fitz:** You know the area better than I do. You can pick.

 **Olivia:** Just meet me at the hotel. I know a place we can walk to.

 **Fitz:** Ok. I'll be there in an hour.

When Fitz joined Olivia outside of the hotel, she greeted him with a generous kiss. Fitz immediately reacted, molding her body against his.

"Happy to see you, too, babe." Fitz joked as he took Olivia's hand in his own and followed her to their restaurant. Olivia led him to a tiny Thai restaurant wedged between two towering office buildings.

"I walked by here earlier and it looked good. It got good reviews on Yelp." Olivia winked as she led him into the place. There was no room for more than one line of tables and a couple booths in the back. They got asked to be seated in the booth.

"So," Fitz began as he took a bite of rice. "When the final product is done, there is going to be a release party before we release it online. I want you to come with me. We are planning on finishing it by April 3rd. You will have to fly out for it, but I swear, I'll make it worth the trouble." Fitz slid his foot along her leg.

"Oh I'll be in town then." Olivia said nonchalantly. Taking a sip of her wine.

"Wait… Why?"

"I got a job today." Olivia beamed back at him.

"That's great, baby."

"It is with a _really_ small production company. Do you remember that documentary _Empty Desks_ a couple years ago?"

"I never saw it, but I heard it was good."

"Yeah, well the director, Chase Flowers, is directing this."

"Hmm." Fitz nodded as he took a sip of his drink. "Tell me about it."

"It's based around the Stonewall Riots. I will play a lesbian woman of the 1970s who helps organize the protests. I'll give you a copy of the script. It is really brilliant."

"I look forward to reading it."

"I will spend most of the time shooting in Atlanta, but we will do all of our rehearsals and preprodiction here in New York."

"I'm so proud of you. And so happy that you found a worthy project."

"Yeah, none of the offers really did anything for me, so I'm glad I took a step out onto the ledge and auditioned. I'll have to do a lot of research. I've never played a lesbian before, and I will need to do it justice. Plus, it's not like they taught us about the Stonewall Riots in school, so I really need to read up about them."

"I'm sure you will do great in it."

Olivia smiled at his comforting words. They paid for their dinner and made their way back to the hotel. Walking back, Olivia tugged on Fitz causing him to stop.

"Come on." Olivia nodded towards a dark alleyway.

"You want me to follow you into that alley." Fitz asked. "I like my money in my wallet and my back free of any stab wounds, so I'm going to have to pass."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "It will be fine. Trust me. I know where I'm going." When Fitz hesitated, she decided to poke fun at him, "Besides, your big boy muscles will scare the bad guys off."

Fitz looked down the alleyway once more. It was narrow and trash cans lined it. Air conditioning units dripped water into puddles, but it was free of any lurking shadows. Fitz wrapped his arm around Olivia's shoulders and walked through it with her.

"If I die in this fifteen yard stretch, you are getting full blame."

"Quit being so melodramatic." Olivia joked as they safely reached the other side. "See? You are still breathing."

"Barely."

"Follow me, grumpy pants."

Olivia led him to a park that seemed to spring up out of nowhere. It had a playground for kids and park benches lining everywhere. Tiny ponds with stony floors fostered little fish and discarded breadcrumbs. There were flowers lining the walkway that surprisingly held up against the winter. An arch was made out of an assortment of ivy and soft pink flowers. Olivia led him under the arch way. There was an elderly couple sitting on a bench looking in the other direction. Other than that, no one was around, and she was grateful for that.

She finally stopped walking and turned around to face Fitz. "When I was walking earlier today, I saw this place and the first think that came to mind was, _I can't wait to kiss you here._ " She bit her lip expectantly. Fitz smiled at how she looked. Her hair was sticking out from her knit earmuffs. Her breath was barely visible and she was framed by the wall of flowers. He wanted nothing more than to pull out his film camera and capture the moment. Here was the love of his life, requesting to be kissed.

Fitz slid one hand in between her neck and hair, pulling her closer. Olivia let her hands grasp the lapels of his coat. He brought his face down to where he was centimeters away from hers. His nose brushed hers once…then twice. Her eyes were shut and her mouth parted, panting. Fitz barely ghosted his lips over hers, causing her to involuntarily lean in.

Then he kissed her.

His lips enclosed around hers. Her lips were warm and soft. The perfect juxtaposition to the bitter cold. Olivia immediately opened her mouth to grant him access. One hand went to his hair and softly raked through his hair. Someone moaned. Olivia went on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss. Fitz's tongue was softly exploring the inside of her, making it hard for her to think straight.

They broke the kiss, both lightheaded and panting. Olivia found the goofiest grin across her face. She tried to wipe it off, but it wouldn't leave.

"Did that live up to your expectations?" Fitz smirked.

"It surpassed it in every way imaginable."

Fitz kissed her forehead and put his arm over her shoulder. "Come on. Let's get out of the cold."

When they had made their way back to the hotel, Olivia began to pack for the next day. Luckily, she didn't bring much clothes with her, so what she bought shopping fit easily into her luggage. Olivia neatly folded her clothes until she came across a special item. It was a silk tie she bought for Fitz. It was a deep cerulean color that reminded her of his eyes. She had meant to give it to him the night before, but she didn't get a chance to.

Olivia finished packing and wrapped the tie in her pajamas as she made her way to the bathroom.

Fitz was drinking a scotch from the mini bar and scrolling through his emails. He looked up to see Olivia emerging from the bathroom with nothing on but a blue tie tied loosely round her neck, hanging in-between her perfect breasts and ending right above her pubes. Her fingers fidgeted with the end of the tie as she stood there under Fitz's admiring gaze.

"Holy shit." Fitz muttered as he shut his laptop and put it on the table.


	19. Gibberish

**So we are back to where we left off (for those of you who followed this story before it was deleted. Thank you for hanging on. I'll update as soon as possible.**

Gibberish—Pell

I don't wanna stop right here  
I'm starting to neglect my fears  
A kingdom built from all your tears  
Don't worry 'cause your king right here

* * *

"Holy shit."

Fitz shut his laptop and set it on the ground. Olivia smirked, enjoying the power she felt over him. The power to make him forget his train of thought and sit there with his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. She swayed over to where he was sitting and climbed onto his lap, straddling him. Fitz took held her there by her thighs.

"Do you like it?" Olivia asked, half of her meaning the tie, half of her meaning the fact that she was straddling him in the nude.

Fitz took the tie into his hand, carefully examining it, turning it over between his fingertips. "Oh, yes. Such a quality tie. Thank you. I can't wait to show it off to my friends."

Olivia playfully punched him in the shoulder, "You asshole."

"Hey, come here." He held her securely as he kissed her. "Thank you." He murmured against her lips. He stood up carrying her with him across the room. Throwing her lightly onto the bed, he loved the way her body look stretched out for him. He rid himself of his clothes, acutely aware of the way Olivia licked her lips when he took his t shirt off and the slight curve of her lip when he dropped his boxers, revealing his obvious erection. Fitz climbed on top of her, kissing along her jaw line and to the sensitive spots along her neck.

"I have every intention of showing you how much I _love_ this tie tonight." Fitz growled as he gently untied the necktie from Olivia. Gathering her wrists in his hands, he tied them securely to the head board. Olivia's eyes where wide with anticipation as he kissed her bottom lip, sucking it gently. "Comfortable?"

She whimpered a yes as he began his descent on her body. He took one of her perked nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the dark bud. His hand massaged the other as he gave each one the individual attention they deserved. Olivia's moans were louder than usual as she tried to cope with not being able to touch him. She had to settle with urging him on by digging her heels into his sides and arching her back.

He continued his trail down to her navel. He seemed to be taking entirely too long, worshipping every inch of her body. Olivia squirmed, halfway fighting the silk restraints. He knew exactly how to drive her crazy. He finally reached the apex of where her thighs met her hips. Hooking her legs over his shoulders, he used two fingers to open her sex to where everything was exposed. Inhaling her familiar scent, he placed a much anticipated kiss onto her exposed pussy.

Olivia called out his name as he pleasured her in the best ways possible. Fitz released her clit from his mouth with a loud pop, sending her over the edge, calling his name in loud rapture. Her body trembled with the waves of heat coursing through her veins.

Fitz reached up to untie her hands. One hand immediately flew to his hair while the other slid down to his ass to cup his cheek. He lined himself up with her, but didn't enter yet.

"Tell me how you want it." Fitz growled into her hear as he pulled her earlobe with his teeth.

Olivia gasped as she tried to remember how to say words, "I, uh… Fitz."

"Say it."

" _Hard._ Rough. Fitz, just fuck me."

Fitz smirked as he slid into her. He drove into her deeper and deeper with each thrust. He threw her leg over his shoulder, hitting a spot that had her screaming every expletive she knew. Fitz found the perfect angle, making friction with Olivia's core. He relished in the way she tightened up before letting go and shaking in her pleasure. She felt so good, he followed, muttering _I love you_ over and over into her neck.

Fitz kissed her forehead and rolled over, to where he was laying by her side. Olivia nuzzled into his chest. She loved the way he smelled after sex. Her fingers delicately traced through his chest hairs as she thought of all of the different things she loved about him.

"This is a nice hotel." Olivia said, continuing her geometric patterns across his chest.

"Your point?"

"It's a nice hotel. I bet they have a pool."

"I could go for seeing you in a bikini." Fitz joked, running his hands down her naked form.

"I think you could go for a body of cold water." Olivia quipped back.

They rinsed their after sex glow off in the shower before finding the hotel's pool. Luckily, it was completely empty. Olivia shed her cover up, revealing an asymmetrical one piece cutout. Fitz took his shirt off and did a cannonball into the vacant pool in his aqua swim shorts. He emerged, shaking the water away from his face like a dog and grinned at Olivia.

"Come on."

"Rule number one." Olivia shot him a look, "My hair stays dry." She pulled her hair up into a bun on the top of her head.

Fitz laughed, throwing up a boy scouts oath sign.

"I'm serious. Or else my super sexy swim cap will come out." Olivia took the safer route into the pool via the steps. "Holy shit, its cold."

"Not if you jump in."

"You don't understand the struggle of a black woman's hair."

"I understand that you look beautiful both styles."

Olivia smiled sincerely. "Thank you."

Fitz dove underwater, breast stroking to Olivia. She took the time to admire his muscular shoulders under the smooth, glassy surface. He surfaced inches from her. Olivia brushed the wet hair from his forehead. Fitz picked her up by the waist, carrying her over to the sub ledge on the side of the pool.

His fingers wandered over her thighs, dipping beneath the edge of her swim suit and tracing the outlines of the unusual cut.

"I was thinking about selling the house and just living full time in the city condo." Fitz absent mindedly slipped his thumb under the fabric of her swimsuit by her hip.

"Oh? Why?"

"The house is getting to be too much of a hassle to keep up. And I spend most of my time in the city anyways, I barely ever make it out there anymore."

"I bet it's worth a fortune." Olivia pondered out loud. "It was your father's. There is probably a lot of movie history tied up in its walls."

Fitz shrugged. After college, he just moved from luxury apartment to luxury apartment. The Beverly Hills estate was always his home, but he never really lived there past high school. Fitz was an only child, so when his father passed away five years ago, the estate naturally went to him. He moved back there, but as his work became more irregular and time consuming, he found most of his nights being spent in his luxury condo. His condo was closer to Olivia's and his work, anyways.

"What do you think?"

His question took Olivia off guard. "I don't know. I think you should do whatever you feel is best. It will probably be tougher than you think to sell it. That has been your home for—what—30 years? But if you don't want it anymore, you should definitely put it on the market."

"Okay then. I'll call a realtor when I get back." Fitz looked past Olivia to the windowed wall. Delicate gusts of wind moved fresh snow flurries through the air. "Look, it's snowing."

Olivia turned to look outside. "I love being here with you, but I really miss California's weather." She shivered involuntarily at the sight of snow.

Fitz pulled her off of the ledge. "It's warmer underwater."

Olivia smirked as she swam a little ways away from him and lowered herself to being neck deep in the water. She slowly lowered her straps until her breasts were exposed. Fitz steadied his breathing, scared to disrupt the water's surface and scatter his view—as if he just hadn't seen them twenty minutes ago.

Fitz approached her, pulling her against him, loving the way her wet nipples brushed his chest. He kissed along her neck and clavicle, making his way across her slick skin. Olivia threw her head back as she witnessed the pleasure of his lips.

Suddenly, she realized what they were doing and where they were.

"We should stop." Olivia put her hands around his face, pulling him off of her and slipping away from him. " _Fitz_."

"Oh, come on." Fitz moaned. As he gently pulled her back against him.

Olivia laughed as she pulled her straps back up "We are in public. _Public_ public. Like any civilian could walk in with a camera phone—public!"

"Okay, sorry." Fitz put his hands up in surrender. "You win."

Olivia brushed her body against his suggestively, "I'm all for going back to the room and…" She kissed his lips, taking his bottom lip between her teeth and giving it a gentle tug.

"You're killing me."

"I know."

/

 **TWO WEEKS LATER**

Fitz was grateful that the spring air was finally breaking New York's thick winter. The weather wasn't quite a walk in the park, but he could forgo the coat he had been donning for the past month. He walked back into the hotel room from the balcony, shutting out the outside air behind him. He entered the bathroom where Olivia was almost done straightening her hair in the vanity. Half of it was pulled back and the other half flowed freely down to her shoulders. She was halting her efforts to look at something on her iPad. He kissed her on the cheek.

"Whatcha looking at?"

"Cyrus Beene's trial was today."

"Oh, shit. I was supposed to call Mellie about it."

"It's okay, I talked to her. She said it went without a hitch. Cyrus got fined a couple hundred thousand dollars and he has to serve three years. His tech guy got two years."

"Wow. That is good. He's ruined now."

"Thank David Rosen. This was a big break for him as a lawyer, I'm glad he got justice served. And Mellie. We owe her so much for testifying and helping us with the whole thing. Is she seeing anyone? We should go out for a double date."

"No, she dumped that lawyer from Santa Barbara. He gave me a strange vibe. I'm glad she moved on."

"Well, we should find some way to thank her." Olivia turned her iPad off and went back to her hair.

"How did your meeting go earlier?"

"Great. I met my co-star. She's an unknown. She has done little art house theater here in the city, but this is her first major role in a film. She's only twenty one."

"So you like her?"

"Yeah. She is really comfortable in her own skin. But you can tell that she is wide eyed at everything and learning every day. It will be an interesting experience for her." Olivia pulled out her makeup bag. "Do you know how many people will be there tonight?"

"I think we are expecting around fifty."

"I have been looking forward to this. I can't wait to see the final film." Olivia smiled at him in the mirror before focusing her attention back to her foundation.

"I can't wait to show you off tonight and introduce you to the crew."

"You mean the people who have been stealing you away from me for the past month?" Olivia joked.

"If by that, you mean the people who have been slaving their asses off to deliver this piece of art, then yes." Fitz quipped back.

"You do realize that the only reason I hang around you is because you are my one connection to Beyoncé, right?" Olivia carefully applied her blood red lipstick

"I'm aware. It's a shame she won't be there tonight." Fitz burst into a fit of laughter at Olivia's crest fallen face. When she realized he was joking, she threw a nearby hand towel at his face.

"Get out. Let me do my makeup in peace."

Fitz exited, still chuckling from her reaction.

Thirty minutes they were catching a car to a rented out night club. When the car pulled up to the chic, Fitz helped Olivia out of the car. He couldn't help but admire the way her legs gracefully swiveled out of the sleek black car. As her stiletto clad feet found their footing, Fitz admired the way her leather leggings hugged every inch of her body perfectly.

"What."

Fitz realized he was staring a little too hard. "Nothing, nothing. I just think you're really pretty."

They smiled for the few photographers hanging out around the sidewalk before entering. Olivia was astounded by the lavish interior. The party was already in full swing. Fitz introduced her to everyone, and everyone meaning some of the music industry's most powerful people, a handful of New York Fashion Week models, and the crew that helped Fitz make the film.

Olivia managed to be wedged between Fitz and Beyoncé in a circular booth. Beyoncé showed her the cutest pictures of Blue Ivy. Pictures of her playing dress up. Pictures of her making a mess of flour as she tried to help in the kitchen. Videos of her singing her ABCs and dancing to the radio and blowing bubbles in their backyard.

Olivia began to feel uncomfortable as she thought about having a child of her own. She imagined having a beautiful baby girl of her own with Fitz. One of her own to dress up and record cute videos. A familiar wave of anxiety pressed her. Olivia never saw herself as a mother. She felt awful about feeling that way, but it just wasn't something she dreamed about as a little girl. It was also something she never discussed with Fitz. She was almost certain he wanted kids, and it made her feel guilty.

Nonetheless, she tried to push those emotions out. They were a little bit too complex for the night, she just wanted to have fun and enjoy the evening. Save them for another day.

Olivia was served one of the best glasses of wine she had ever sipped. She asked the waiter for the name, so she could look for it in Los Angeles. As they lowered a screen to show the film, Fitz clasped Olivia's hand in his and let out a deep breath. She could tell he was nervous about his final work being shown, so she kissed his knuckles and squeezed his hand.

"It's gonna be great." She whispered in his ear as the opening music started.

For the next twenty minutes, Olivia was captivated by the entire project. From the first segment, a nostalgic homage to hip hop's past and what inspired Jay Z's hustle, to the second segment, which captivated the intense success of his career, and then the final segment, which was a love letter to his family and what he wanted his legacy to stand as. His final album had everyone in love.

During one scene where there was a large number of models being shot very generously, Olivia elbowed Fitz lightly in the ribs and whispered to where he could only hear her, "So now I know why you love your job so much."

By the time the film ended, he had Olivia's hand in a death grip. The lights went up and Jay grabbed a microphone as everyone applauded thunderously.

"Alright, guys, thank you. Thank you. Ha. I want to thank everyone who helped me to this place, with a heavy chain and a fresh glass of d'usse in my hand. I stand on the backs of giants, and you know who you are. My baby, Bey, I love you. I love my Blue Blue. All of this means nothing without you. And let's put it together for my man my man Fitz Grant for this. You saw the vision, man. Thank you for this."

A round of applause roared as Fitz blushed from ear to ear. Olivia withdrew her hand from his so she could clap along with everyone else.

Jay continued his speech, "So everybody enjoy your night. Celebrate the conclusion of an era and the end of a beautiful ride."

Cheers and whoops went up as everyone returned to their conversations. Olivia kissed Fitz chastely on the lips, "That was fantastic. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." Fitz was beaming. The DJ picked up the pace of the music prompting people to the dance floor, "Do you want to dance?"

"Mmhmm."

Olivia slid out of the booth and made her way to the dance floor with Fitz. Olivia thoroughly enjoyed being able to grind against Fitz to the beat of the latest, hippest music. After about an hour of dancing, the party was still going strong. They retired to their seats and conversed with the other guests. Fitz and Olivia found themselves in conversation with a young billionaire that got his fortune on a rare tech start up in Silicon Valley. His name was Aaron and he looked like he couldn't have been older than twenty two. He was very personable and easy to talk to.

"So, what are you doing next? You did a brilliant job with this short film." He took a sip of his drink and ran a hand through his sandy hair.

"Oh, I have no idea. This kind of sprung up on me, and I have been so busy with it, that I haven't had much time for anything else." Fitz shrugged.

"You do have that script!" Olivia piped in, not really thinking before speaking. "You know, the one that… Cyrus… Was going to fund, but…" She trailed off realizing that Fitz hadn't mentioned it since Beene Studios went down, and she wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"Yeah, I have a script for a full length feature. The only problem is no one wants to fund it." Fitz laughed it off. Olivia immediately felt foolish. She had only had two glasses of wine, but she mentally cut herself off.

Aaron leaned in, not picking up any of the awkwardness that was growing in between the two, "That's actually really interesting. I would love to read the script, and see if I could help you out some." His voice was heavy with some suggestion that Fitz didn't quite understand.

He shot him a confused look, "Financially? I mean, I would need a huge studio backing for this project to get the flight it needs."

Aaron laughed an odd laugh, like he was genuinely intrigued, "Out in the valley, we have a shit ton of young billionaires with no idea what to do with their money. You put a pretty art canvas in front of them and they will casually blow one million dollars without even looking at the price tag. I could easily find a couple guys to sponsor your film. Say, what would be a ball park figure you could name off of the top of your head—how much do you think you'll need?"

"Uh, I guess one hundred fifty million. To be safe."

"Oh, that would be easy. I could get that by the end of the week."

"I don't believe you."

Aaron laughed a self-amused laugh. "How about I make a bet. If I get the money, then you have to shoot a series of commercials, starring your girlfriend, for my tech business. If I can't get the money, then I will personally buy you the latest, most high tech camera equipment out right now." He extended his hand like it was a bet over the NCAA basketball tournament—like there wasn't millions at stake.

Fitz turned back to Olivia, to see if she was okay with her name being bargained. He was met with a Cheshire grin and a soft giggle, "Take it, Fitz."

"Deal."

/

It was probably about 1:30am when they finally called a car to pick them up. Once in the car, Olivia kicked her shoes off and curled up into Fitz's side. He craved her contact, so he drew his arm around her and pulled her tight.

Her phone dinged with an email from Anna with pictures from the evening. "How does she get these so fast?" Olivia scrolled through the pictures, including ones taken inside the party. She smiled at one of her and Beyoncé, casually conversing. She put her phone back in her clutch.

"I'm sorry." She spoke as her hand roamed across his torso. "About bringing up your project. I forgot it was kind of a sore subject. I wasn't thinking—"

"Are you kidding? You just brought it back to life. I thought it was done for. What happened back there was bizarre, and I have you to thank for it." He kissed her hair.

"But still," She insisted. "It was rude of me to bring it up. It could have gone very wrong."

"But it didn't."

"Shut up and accept my guilt." Olivia muttered as she nuzzled his neck, kissing it tenderly. "And let me make it up to you."

"That, I won't argue with." Fitz smiled as he pulled her onto his lap. He untucked her shirt from her leggings, letting his fingers roam the skin on her back. "Hey, guess what."

"What?" She pecked his lips.

"Tomorrow I can come home."

"Tomorrow you can come home." Olivia whispered as she kissed him again on the lips.

When they got to the hotel, Olivia put on one of Fitz's USC t shirts and crawled under the covers with him.

Sometime later, Fitz woke to his arms being empty and cold. He looked over to find Olivia sitting on the edge of the bed, facing away from him.

She was dead still, so he wondered if she was sleep walking.

"Livvie, what's wrong?" Fitz whispered, checking the clock. _3:52_.

"What?"

"Are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She muttered.

"Well, come back to bed." Fitz pulled the covers back and patted the area right next to him. Olivia crawled back over to him and curled up into his side with her head on his chest. "There," Fitz whispered as he ran his hand up and down her back soothingly.

Right when he was sure that she was asleep, she blurted out four words.

"Do you want children?"

"What?"

"Do you want children?" Olivia repeated, slower and softer. She propped her chin up on his chest and looked at him with big, brown, searching eyes. Fitz sat up and flipped the bedside lamp on.

"Why are you asking this at four in the morning?" He rubbed his eyes and tried to fully wake up.

"Answer me." Olivia sat up so that she was sitting cross legged next to him.

"Yes. I want kids."

Olivia nodded to herself, fidgeting with the hem of his t shirt and looking down at her fingernails.

"Liv?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want kids?"

Olivia looked up to meet eye contact. Her eyes were wet, hiding some undecipherable emotion. "No. I don't want kids." Her lip quivered as she drew a deep breath.

"Livvie—"

"I'm sorry." She cut him off. "I don't want kids. I'm sorry. That's an awful thing to say, but I don't think I have it in me. I don't think I would make a good mother—I don't _see_ myself taking that road. Fuck, maybe I should have told you earlier. I'm sorry. Maybe I'm a bad person for this, maybe I'm not a—" Olivia stopped, fighting the urge to break down. Tears slid down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Come here." Fitz wiped her tears away with his thumb, kissing the tracks across her face. "Let's talk about this. There is no need to be upset."

Olivia nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Fitz moved her to where she was sitting sideways, in between his legs. He softly patted her back up and down.

"It doesn't make you any less of a woman that you don't want kids. It doesn't make you selfish or broken or _odd_. It is just who _you_ are. And I love you for that. I love you so much that I want to give the rest of my life to you. I am not going to force you to go through childbirth if that is not what you think is best. It is your choice, and I support you in it. If, down the road, that changes, I will support you. Whether it is adoption or having a child ourselves."

Fitz kissed her forehead, nose, and then lips. Olivia pulled away, conflict still on her face. "I don't… I don't want this to be something you regret down the road. I don't want you to resent me."

"Shut up." Fitz whispered. "You are all that I want. I don't think you understand how much happiness and love you have given me. I will never resent you. Everything I want is sitting right here in this bed with me."

"Thank you." Olivia bowed her head against his. He ran his fingers through her hair, settling some of the tangles.

"So, now do you want to get some sleep?"

Olivia laughed as she wiped her face and slid under the covers. Fitz turned the light out and pulled Olivia against him in a spooning position. He slid his hand over her stomach.

"I love you." Olivia whispered as she intertwined her fingers in his.

"I love you, too."

"I don't deserve you."

"I doubt that." Fitz chuckled as he kissed her nose goodnight.

* * *

 **Okay, so like I outlined in the first chapter. _Don't freak out._ Smushy babies are in the future, it is just a journey I want to explore between them. **


	20. Here With Me

**So this is picking up where we left off. I received some of the kindest reviews and PMs, so thank you for those. I am so blessed—so so blessed. Thank you.**

Here With Me—The Killers

Don't want your picture  
On my cell phone  
I want you here with me  
I don't want your memory  
In my head now  
I want you here with me

* * *

 **2 MONTHS LATER**

"Hold on, one second babe." Olivia took the phone out of the crook in her neck and placed it on the dresser, pressing the speaker button. "Okay, I'm back."

"I was saying that I think we should plan a vacation. After you finish shooting your film. Before I start filming mine. Just disappear for a week to any island of your choice."

Olivia sat on her carryon suitcase, trying desperately to compress the overstuffed suitcase as she zipped it up. "That sounds nice. Why don't we go somewhere really off the wall? Someplace that is not touristy at all."

"Okay… What were you thinking?"

"I don't know. Maybe Bora Bora or Bali… Or maybe we could throw a dart at a map." Olivia gathered her bags.

"Hmmm. You in a bikini… On a deserted beach with me… Sipping a Sex on a Beach… I'm convinced."

"Listen, I'm about to walk out of the door. I'll call you when I land?"

"Okay. Try and get some sleep on the plane. Fly safe."

"That's not in my control." Olivia winked as if he could see her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Livvie. I'll see you in a little bit."

Olivia was flying to San Francisco to meet Fitz. Turned out that Aaron, the techie billionaire who made the bet with Fitz over his new project, came through with the money. Aaron, along with five other guys, agreed to throw a couple of their many millions into a pot to fund his dream project. Upholding Fitz's end of the bargain, Olivia had to star in a commercial for his company, and Fitz had to direct it free of charge.

It was a small price to pay, and Olivia was actually excited about it. Other than her brief time spent on Fitz's movie four years ago, she hadn't actually shot with Fitz. She hadn't ever even really seen him work. Other than the super-secret Jay Z project, he hadn't been in the production stage since they had been together. What if they were distracting to each other? All eyes would be scrutinizing their interactions since they were a public item. She needed to let him know that she wasn't comfortable with PDA on the job.

Her palms started to sweat unconsciously. She thought back to four years ago, when they laid entangled on the secluded beach.

" _Livvie, I care about you. I want to do this the right way. I don't want this to be some dirty thing that you regret in the future."_

" _What are we even doing?"_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _I don't know. This feels so right with you, right here on this beach. It is perfect, actually, but what about when we start shooting? Don't you think that will cause problems? I don't want any favoritism. I don't want people to whisper."_

" _People will whisper no matter what. But, we can keep this secret if you want. I can also separate my work from my personal life. I'll treat you like everyone else. You can check me on that if I ever don't…If you want, we are in this together."_

" _We are in this together."_

Even when they barely knew each other, he was prepared to be professional with her. _Everything will be fine_. She assured herself. The man you love will do his brilliant job and help you do a brilliant job of your own.

Olivia had spent the last month and a half in New York City again, in pre-production working on her film, and after today she would fly to Atlanta to begin filming. It was a whirlwind, but she felt prepared and well versed in the history of the Stonewall Riots. Her character was fictional, but she researched many pivotal female figures in the movement for inspiration.

When Olivia's plane landed, she called Fitz to pick her up. The air was agreeably cooler than Los Angeles. She reminded herself to enjoy it before the hellish humidity of Atlanta in mid-summer became her life. Fitz pulled up in a rental car and helped her with her bag.

"Your plane came in early."

"The pilot must have known I couldn't wait to see you." Olivia smiled as she went up on her tip toes to kiss him.

"You look beautiful." Fitz leaned back to note her outfit, but more importantly her toned legs showcased beneath her floral printed skirt.

"Thank you." Olivia kissed him again before climbing in the car. "So, fill me in on today." Olivia requested once they were driving towards the shoot. Fitz had spent the last week in San Francisco planning with Aaron over what they were going to do.

"So, you know his company pioneers in touch technology. We are doing two thirty second spots that can also be shortened to fifteen seconds. We'll give you a manicure and the usual hair and makeup. You are going to look ethereal. Breathtaking, but that should come natural to you." Fitz drew her hand to his mouth, keeping his eyes on the road. His lips curved into a slight smile at his own compliment.

"What will I be doing?"

"We are using a lot of green screens, lighting and glass. I thought it would be cool to bring some elements of nature and technology together, so you will be leaping from these cool lilly pads—I will have to show you the concept art. It's pretty insane. Everything you touch will light up in these muted magenta hues. The mood will be very light and breezy. You will probably feel foolish hopping around in a green screen, but I swear it will turn out great."

"It's a good thing I get paid to use my imagination… What will I be wearing?"

"Oh, yeah. That. I thought we could do a few takes naked…"

" _Fitzgerald Grant!_ " Olivia shot her hand out to punch his arm.

"I'm kidding. I'm kidding. We have a white tunic for you. Unless, you would prefer…"

"Shut up, you perv." Olivia joked as she leaned back in her seat and returned her hand to his open palm on the console.

When they arrived on set, the crew had already assembled. Olivia immediately went into the hair/makeup/mani/pedi chair as she was transformed into Fitz's vision and the new face of Kirbo Inc. Fitz busied himself getting the equipment up with his camera technician and adjusting the lighting with the gaffers so that the green screen would pick up properly.

They made eye contact as Olivia was getting her contouring done. Fitz winked, then ran off to a makeshift desk set up in the corner. He grabbed an oversized tablet and a chair, and pulled it up to where Olivia was sitting. The makeup artist still bustled around her, ignoring Fitz's presence.

"Hi." Olivia smiled, before realizing she was holding the makeup artist back. She resumed the neutral face.

"Hi. I wanted to show you the artwork. These are just concepts, yet to be applied. You will start here and move across to there, which is marked by that circle over there on the set." Fitz spent a solid fifteen minutes explaining everything to Olivia until her makeup artist asked for his final approval on her look.

"Yes, perfect. Let's get to work." He took her hand and pulled her out of the chair. Once she was dressed in her goddess-like tunic, they began work. Every fear she had earlier about working with him dissipated as she fell under his direction.

They worked like magic together. She had never felt so comfortable working with a director. Even though, she was just doing simple movements and whimsical expressions, she really felt pulled to put herself out there and take risks that were attuned to Fitz's vision. She was patient with the insanely detailed adjustments that had to be made with every shot so the digital animation would work out.

They worked efficiently and ended up finishing early. Olivia still had three hours until she had to be at the airport.

"Do you have anything else to do today?" Olivia asked as she helped him load a crate into the back of a truck.

"I've got to return this to the rental company, but other than that, no. We don't go into post-production until tomorrow." Fitz pulled down the sliding door and locked it.

"We should go on a picnic."

"A picnic sounds perfect. Follow me to the rental place with the car. Then we can find out where to picnic." Fitz gave her a soft peck on the lips before climbing up into the cab of the truck.

Forty five minutes later, they were sitting on a blanket with the most perfect view of the golden gate bridge. Fitz ate a sandwich while Olivia ate a bowl of colorful fruit.

"Are you sure that's all you want? You have barely eaten all day." Fitz nudged the other half of his sandwich towards her.

"I'm good."

Fitz shot her a quizzical look.

"I swear. One of the first things we shoot is a sex scene, and I'm doing a sort of cleanse before it. It is just for a couple of days. I'm fine with this."

"Olivia, that doesn't sound—"

"I swear its fine. I've done it before." Olivia kissed his arm. "Thank you for the concern, though."

Olivia climbed between his legs, leaning back against his chest. He wrapped his hands around her waist, settling his chin on her shoulder. They watched the seagulls flock around rocks with the faint whizzing of cars on the majestic bridge across the way.

"I'm going to miss you." Fitz murmured into her ear, kissing her neck.

"Shhh." Olivia whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't want to talk about the next two months I'll spend away from you."

"Okay." Fitz hugged her tighter. He brought his lips to barely ghost over her neck, leaving phantom kisses along the curvature of her shoulder. He didn't have to see her face to know that her eyes were closed and her lips were parted. She leaned her head back into his shoulder to give him more access.

"We were good today, right?" Olivia asked, trailing her fingertips across his knees.

"What do you mean?"

"Working together. I can't tell if I'm just being biased, because I love you so much, but it seemed like we were on the same wavelength. I liked it."

"Yeah, we did." Olivia could feel him smile against her head. "Maybe we can work together again in the future." Fitz couldn't help but think about what magic would have happened the first time they worked together, if their time hadn't been cut short.

"I don't know. I have heard I can be a diva on set. I'm also very _expensive_."

Fitz slipped his fingers to her most tender ticklish spots. He felt her tense up, knowing what was on his mind. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You would give me a discount, right?"

Olivia didn't respond, trying to stifle the giggles already escaping her lips.

" _Right?_ " Fitz released an assault on her sides, making her writhe in his arms in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"Okay, okay, OKAY. You win. You can have me for free or whatever."

He stopped, and she settled back into his arms. She leaned her head back into his chest, and requested his lips on hers. He kissed her chastely at first, before slipping his tongue along her lips. Olivia moaned instinctively as she opened up to him, turning in his arms.

When they came up for air, Fitz kissed her nose and opened his eyes to find her smiling with moist eyes.

"What?"

She ran her thumb across his cheek as she caressed his face. "I'm just so happy right now. I love you so much."

All Fitz could do was kiss her again and hold her close.

Eventually, the time came for Olivia to go to the airport. They packed up their picnic and Fitz drove her to the airport. Two months away from Fitz seemed unbearable. His hands would be so full with his new project, and with Olivia being the lead in her film, they didn't see how their schedules would allow for them to see each other within. They would have to settle for skype calls and everything else.

Olivia spent the five hour flight and three hour time change immersed in the script for the scene she would shoot the next day, trying to lose herself in her work, and not think about how much she would miss Fitz.

/

 **TWO WEEKS LATER**

Olivia sat in the car with the A/C on full blast, procrastinating stepping out. She didn't want to face the 99% humidity and stifling heat just yet, even if it was for the short walk from the car to the building.

Her stomach was all twisted and knotted. Today was the day of shooting the love scene between her and her female companion in the film. She had spent every spare moment working out and fine tuning her body. The research side was complete, as her and her co-star frequented some LGBTQ clubs around Atlanta to observe, and watched multiple films together with similar scenes. She felt comfortable with the girl in their regular acting scenes, but love scenes were a completely different world.

Olivia had just come to accept that there was no comfort in this part of her job. It was necessary to tell the filmmaker's story, and her job was to tell the filmmaker's story. She would just have to bite back the nerves and do her job. She thought about Fitz. They both had jobs involving things that other couples couldn't survive. She would have to kiss and be caressed by strangers, and he would have to direct sexual scenes catering to his male gaze. They just had to keep the professional air to it and remember it was their jobs.

Olivia looked at the clock and realized that if she waited any longer, she would be late. With a sigh, and a final gulp of her morning smoothie, she stepped out of the car and made her way into the abandoned warehouse where they had set up her apartment for the scene.

After doing her usual hair and makeup, she changed into a nude thong, and her character's clothes over that. As the lighting gaffers and camera operators fine-tuned the scene, Olivia thought to the face time conversation she had with Fitz that morning. It was 3:00 AM in Los Angeles, but that didn't stop him from answering with a groggy smile.

" _Good morning."_

" _Good morning, love."_

" _I didn't expect you to answer."_

" _But I did. What's up?"_

" _I just wanted to see your face."_

" _No, really."_

" _I swear."_

" _I don't buy it. I can see you worrying through the screen."_

" _Fitz—" Olivia began to protest._

" _Talk to me. Tell me what is wrong."_

" _You have to work in the morning. I shouldn't be—go back to sleep. I'll hang up."_

" _If you do, I'll just call you back."_

 _Olivia could see that familiar smirk on the tiny screen. She got quiet for a moment, not sure what to say—or if she even wanted to say anything. Fitz waited on the other end, watching her with his hazy blue eyes._

" _I'm freaking out about today's scene."_

 _Fitz propped himself up on an elbow, letting her know he was listening._

" _I am terrified."_

" _You have done sex scenes before." Fitz noted._

" _I know. I know. I've been naked, I've had fake sex on screen. There isn't even an issue with Emma being a woman. It's just… different. I can't describe it. I've never been this queasy about a sex scene before."_

" _You are going to be fine. Just go in and do what you do. You are an amazing actress; the best of your class. It will all fall in place, and you will kill it." Fitz smiled through the scene. "You better, because I need another ticket to the Oscars, and my film won't be out in time to get me in."_

 _Olivia rolled her eyes at his joke, but smiled genuinely at his pep talk._

" _I think the difference is you." Olivia whispered._

" _What?"_

" _I think the difference is you." Olivia spoke a little louder. "All the other scenes I filmed—in my earlier films—I was in a desolate place, emotionally and romantically. Sex was nothing but an overhyped humanistic experience. I felt nothing for the act of it. It held no special sentimentality in my mind. But now… It is different."_

" _Liv, I trust you. I know you have a job to do, and it's nothing personal."_

" _I know that. But it's more than that. I am so in love with you that you have changed the way I perceive things. Sex is an intimate act that only we share with each other. That I only plan on sharing with you for the rest of my life. And I know it is all pretend. I know that there will be ten other guys awkwardly watching. I know the lights will be uncomfortably bright and the camera will be panning in and out of our space, but it is going to be different. It will be weird."_

 _Fitz nodded on the other end. He didn't know how to respond—what to say to make her feel better._

" _I don't know what to say. I don't know how to make you feel more comfortable with this, because you will have to find it in yourself. I do know, however, that you are going to be fantastic at it. You are brilliant in everything you do, and this will be no different. You just have to put yourself out there."_

" _Thank you."_

" _I wish I could be there. To hold you."_

" _I do too. I miss you so much." Olivia could feel her eyes getting misty. Before her emotions could get the best of her, she ended the call. "You need your sleep, and I need to be getting ready. Goodbye. I love you."_

" _I love you too."_

A bright light blinded Olivia as she was brought back to reality. A crew member apologized as he dialed down the harsh lighting and covered it with a diffuser.

They were ready now. Chase briefed them on what he wanted and they got in position. Emma, her co-star was a tall, modelesque actress. She was only twenty one but was mature beyond her years. She was bi-racial with the lightest peppering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her hair was swept over her shoulder in wide, shiny curls. She was very beautiful, and overpowering in her scenes.

The cameras started to roll. Olivia entered and they played out the scene. It was a conflict between the two characters where Emma didn't want her to go out into the riots, but Olivia felt her place was on the streets. They yell. Emma cries on cue. They finally address the feelings they have for each other. Olivia initiated a tender, shaky kiss. Things progressed. It was all so methodical, and measured. Just as their fingers began to peal their clothes off, Chase called cut and they started again with different angles.

Three more times through that scene, they moved on to the explicit content. Olivia kept her mind centered on the mechanics of it all. When and where to caress the girl and what expressions to hold. It was embarrassing having to mock gyrate onto a stranger and have to moan like she was feeling something. The camera man moved restlessly around them. After the worst was over, they shot the after math of them lying in bed talking. The dialogue was beautiful, and almost had Olivia tearing up, caught up in her own emotions.

As the day wound down, Olivia dressed in her own clothes and went back to her temporary apartment. Her body was tired from the repetitive shots and physical exertion. She took a brief shower, changed into sweats and curled up in her bed with a glass of wine. She pulled her phone out to call the only person she wanted to talk to.

"Hello, beautiful."

"Hi." Olivia immediately felt better.

"How did it go?"

 _Sigh._

"Livvie?"

"It happened. I did what I was supposed to. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Okay."

"Let's talk about your day. What did you do?"

"Guess who just signed on to act in my film."

"Who?"

"I said _guess_." Fitz had a child-like excitement in his voice.

"Alright… um… Meryl Streep."

"Ha. I wish. Younger."

"Ryan Gosling."

"Older."

"Brad Pitt."

" _Very_ close… but wrong gender."

Olivia paused for a moment as it became clear. "No way."

"Yes way."

"Angelina Jolie?"

"Yep."

"Wow… That's incredible."

"I know. I'm getting so excited about this project. I can feel it in my gut. With Aaron's money, and full creative control…It's all coming together so perfectly."

"It's going to be great."

"It's going to be great."

Olivia stifled a yawn and sunk further into her sheets. "I'm sorry, but I'm so exhausted I might fall asleep on you. I just wanted to check in. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, Livvie. I love you. Rest up."

"I love you too. Goodbye."

* * *

 **So this chapter was a little short and more of a transition chapter. What do you think of Olivia and Fitz possibly working together on a longer shoot? Just ideas to toy with ;)**

 **Thank you, again for the support and love. My evenings are about to be tied up with the NBA finals (go Golden State!) but I will update as soon as I can!**


	21. Be Free

**Okay, so this chapter will be pretty heavy Olivia content. It will also be pretty intense. I don't want to give away too much with trigger warnings, but there is considerable violence in this chapter.**

Be Free—J. Cole

Are we all alone fighting on our own  
Please give me a chance  
I don't wanna dance  
Some things got me down  
I will stand my ground,  
Don't just stand around  
Don't just stand around

All we want to do is take these chains off  
All we want to do is break the chains off  
All we want to do is be free  
All we want to do is be free

* * *

 **3 WEEKS LATER**

Olivia ignored her grumbling stomach. She didn't have time to eat. She had just finished shooting a magazine cover and a brief interview for Marie Claire. Now, she was racing to set to get back to filming. It was tiring, but she loved the tight, exhaustive schedule of shooting. It gave her something to do to distract her from how much she missed Fitz—and oh, how she missed Fitz. She had three more weeks of filming, then she could fly back into his arms. Her body ached for him.

Olivia pulled into the lot where she was supposed to park and got out of her car. _If only the sun would chill for a day_. Olivia willed herself not to perspire too much as she walked over to the tents set up. They were shooting in the streets today, and had gotten a permit to section off a couple of blocks for the shoot.

It was sometime in the late afternoon, Olivia was in the middle of a scene. She was mid-sentence, when a series of loud pops rang out. Everyone instinctively ducked, realizing they were gunshots. They were alarmingly close, but no one knew where they were coming from.

"Everybody, come inside." Chase called out as he ushered Olivia and everyone else into a nearby bar that was empty for their shooting. Olivia stayed by Chase's side, trying to make sense of what happened. Once everybody was safely crammed into the building, Chase whipped his cell phone out.

"Hi… My name is Chase Flowers. I'm at the connection of Euclid and Moreland. I just heard gunshots… No, I couldn't tell what direction they came from, but they were close… Okay. You're welcome. Bye."

"Chase, what's the call?" a crew member asked.

"I just notified the police. I'm responsible for all of you guys' safety, so let's just chill in here for a while until we hear if the matter is resolved."

Thirty minutes passed, and they didn't hear one siren. Olivia went over to where Chase was sitting by the window, watching the street. His brow was crinkled and he seemed deep in thought.

"If we haven't heard any more shots, it is probably safe." Olivia sat across from him.

He took a second before replying. His eyes never left the street. "It doesn't add up. That was probably seven or eight shots. Distinct shots. I'm no arms expert, but it sounded like it was from a pistol, I think. Then nothing? No ambulance or police siren? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe it was an accident. It could already be resolved."

Chase just shook his head, finally making eye contact with Olivia. "Something is off. My gut is telling me something is off. I don't think we should go out yet… Jason! Come over here please. Bring that iPad."

An assistant producer skipped over with the iPad under his arm. Chase took it from him and began typing into it.

" _Oh, shit."_ Chase muttered. His hands stilled as he stared at the screen.

"What." Olivia got up to look at the screen. Twitter was pulled up with "Atlanta, shots" typed into the search bar. She scanned the tweets that popped up.

 _Unidentified African American shot by police officer._

 _Unarmed black teen gunned down. Mclendon Ave. Atlanta, GA_

 _Holy SHIT MAN. Cop just gunned a man down in front of me. His hands were up._

 _Ridiculous! Atlanta PD need to be stopped._

 _On Mclendon Av. Right now. They aren't moving body. No action._

Olivia gasped as Chase touched a shaky cell phone video to the screen. A police officer could be seen yelling at a teenager. The teenager seemed to be walking past, uninterested. The officer intercepted the kid's path and grabbed his arm. The kid raised his hands and tried to back up. It was too late, because the officer then pulled his gun and fired multiple shots into the teenager. His body fell to the ground with an unceremonious thud. The video shook to a shot of the ground and stopped.

Olivia, Chase, and Jason sat there speechless. Nobody wanted to say anything or even move. Finally, Chase stood and turned to them.

"Jason, grab a camera. Come with me. Something is going on, and I want to go check it out. It wouldn't hurt to have a quality video of what is going on. Just for transparency. Olivia, go home. Tell everyone else to pack up and do the same. We will postpone for the rest of the day. We can figure scheduling out later."

Jason scurried off to find a portable camera.

"I'm coming with you." Olivia said, decisively.

"I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"I'm responsible for your safety. I can't let anything happen to you."

"I'll be fine. Plus, if it's so dangerous, then why are you going?"

Chase sighed, "When I lived in the rough side of Brooklyn growing up, I witnessed the police disrespect us black kids every day. Five kids in my graduating class were killed by the police. Whether or not they were _innocent_ or _guilty_ was determined by the people who shot them in the first place. If I can bring some transparency to this case—if I can bring some justice for this boy's family, I will put myself in danger. But I can't ask you to do the same."

"You aren't asking me. I'm telling you I'm coming along." Olivia begged.

Chase regarded her as he realized arguing would be futile. "Fine. Come along. But please be careful."

They told everyone to go home, before heading towards the crime scene. Chase hoisted the camera onto his shoulder, recording the whole thing. They neared the crime scene—or lack thereof.

A crowd of people were gathering. The police had set up yellow caution tape to section off the street. Multiple police cars were pulled up, but the lights and sirens were off. A couple of officers stood in a cluster, talking. Their body language was lax. They seemed to be on a lunch break or something, discussing their weekend plans.

Then Olivia saw him. The boy. He was laying on the ground, face down. His arms were spread on each side, almost like a fallen Christ figure. Her stomach fell as she saw the bullet holes ripped through him. He laid in a puddle of blood. She couldn't see his face, but this image ripped through her gut. She began to feel queasy.

"I'll be right back." Olivia told Chase as she ran into a nearby quick stop gas station. She ran to their bathroom, not caring that its sanitation was questionable. She hunched over the toilet, as her stomach began to heave. Nothing came out. She realized that she hadn't eaten anything, and silently thanked herself for that.

She pulled her phone out and dialed the one person she needed to speak to.

"Hi, Livvie." His calm voice came over her like a drink of cool water.

"Fitz." She choked up, trying to find words.

"What's wrong?" He immediately picked up on her tone, "Where are you, shouldn't you be working?"

"We were. We were shooting in the street and we heard these gunshots. We huddled inside a bar, but nothing happened. A police officer shot an unarmed black boy. He just gunned him down with no qualms. It's been an hour and the boy is still in the street. They haven't moved him. They haven't called a coroner or ambulance. It is awful. They are so casual about it, no sirens or lights. I just—" She could feel her anxiety rise in her.

"Olivia, calm down. Take a deep breath." Fitz's voice remained solid and cool. He always calmed her down, and now he was like a sedative in her system.

She followed his instructions, "Okay, I'm good now. I'm okay."

"Where are you?"

"In a gas station. Chase and Jason went to film what was going on, and I insisted I came along. Then I saw the body and I ran in here to throw up. But I'm good now. I feel better."

"Olivia, you need to go home."

"No. I'm okay. I just wasn't prepared for that image, but now I'm okay. Especially after talking to you."

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this. I don't want you out in the streets."

"I said I'm fine. I'm with Chase and Jason. I'm _fine_."

"Okay. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't. I promise." Olivia almost regretted calling. She didn't want him worrying about her. "They are probably wondering what is taking me so long. I should get back."

"Please stay safe, Livvie. I can't have you getting hurt out there. Take care of yourself."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you, too, baby."

"Bye."

Olivia exited the bathroom. She grabbed a bottle of water to eliminate the awful taste in her mouth. Once she got to the counter, she realized she was still in her film costume with no money. She was just wearing brown corduroy capris and a yellow sweater.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my wallet. I'll just put this back."

"Nonsense." A smooth voice, with just enough Southern gentleman charm, came from behind her. She turned around to find a tall, handsome man. He was in a police uniform. His name tag read _J. Ballard_. "I've got it." He reached forward to set his items—a pack of gum and soda—on the counter along with a couple of dollar bills.

"Thank you, Officer Ballard." Olivia said politely. She was wary of him, because of his uniform, but had to show her gratitude for the water.

"It's Jake, and the pleasure is mine. You look very familiar. Like that actress that won the Oscar a couple of months ago. What's her name? God, I'm awful with pop culture."

"Olivia Pope."

"Yes! That's it. You must get that so much."

"Every day."

They walked out of the gas station together.

"It's a shame about this kid." Jake nodded towards the caution tape. "The last thing a police officer wants to do is kill someone. Especially a kid. That officer's life has changed. Poor guy will have to live with this for the rest of his life."

"Poor kid." Olivia shot back. "Poor kid, lying in the street."

Jake shot her a confused look.

"You know, the one who can't live with anything for the rest of his life. Pity him." Olivia began to back away. "Thank you for the water, Officer." She turned sharply and walked to where Chase was. She didn't turn to look back at the man standing there bewildered. She took her hot sweater off, revealing her modest tank top underneath and wrapped it around her waist. She removed the multiple bobby pins holding her hair up in a dated style and let her curls fall down her back.

Chase was as close to the cluster of police officers as the yellow tape would allow him. Olivia weaved through the growing crowd—probably around a hundred bystanders—to reach him.

"Hey! I'm trying to talk to you. Which one of you did this? Which officer killed this _kid_? Which one of you pulled the trigger on an innocent life and walked away? What is his name? Do you even know that? Why isn't there an ambulance? How come, an hour after he was shot, he _still_ lies in the street with no medical attention? This is ridiculous. You don't care about our lives and you never will."

One of the police officers glanced over his shoulder while the rest continued their conversation, uninterested.

"We'll get answers, eventually. Wait until the networks arrive. I'd like to see them blow off CNN."

"Where's Jason?"

"He ran to get a tripod. I'm going to be here for a while. What about you? Are you good? You were looking a little queasy earlier."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just wasn't prepared for _that_ , but now I'm good."

Jason returned with a tripod and a bag full of extra memory and batteries. They set the camera up to record the body and the cluster of officers.

"So, what do we do now?" Olivia asked.

"We wait and observe. When the outrage swells, we will join that too. But they can't stay like this forever."

Two hours passed, and nothing changed. The body remained face down on the pavement. A woman emerged from the crowd with two men on either side of her. Tears streamed down her face as she neared the tape. The crowd parted to let her through. She saw the body, and collapsed, wailing loudly.

"Hey, get this." Olivia nudged Chase as he swiveled to capture the moment.

Her wails increased in volume, shattering everybody's hearts. She began calling a name over and over. Keilon Williams. She reached hysterics, the two men on either side trying to comfort her. She kept calling for her baby. Olivia turned away, the sight too much for her. She saw a single, brave tear slide down Chase's face.

"How could you do this?" The woman asked, rising to her feet, and addressing the officers. "How could you let this happen? Kei didn't ever do _anything_ to you. He would never hurt you. Why did you have to go put seven bullets in his chest? WHY? He didn't do shit to you. Why did you have to go kill my baby?"

The two men tried to hold her back, but she shook them off. She stepped towards the yellow tape. The crowd quieted, watching.

"I want answers!"

She slipped under the tape. The police officers immediately drew their guns on her.

"Ma'am step back. Step back right now."

"I ain't gon' hurt you. I'm not going to cause you any harm. I just want to know why you did this. Why my baby boy is laying out here cold."

"We aren't going to ask you again, ma'am." An officer called out, taking a step forward, with his gun poised at her heart.

"Why is he still here? Is my baby not worth the decency of an ambulance? Is he not human enough in your eyes to deserve medical treatment? You just had to gun him down like a dog with rabies?"

She took a couple more steps towards the body. The officers advanced at the same rate she did. Tensions arose in the crowd, but quickly quieted down, when she spoke again.

"Go ahead. Shoot me. I'm not armed. Go ahead and do me like you did Keilon. At least I'll be with him."

She turned towards the body, and like she was just talking to him, "Keilon. What did they do to you? You can't leave me like this. You _can't_." She advanced towards the body with her arms stretched towards him. The officers moved in, pulling her back, and slamming her into the ground. Her cries of pain caused the crowd to rile up. Chaos broke out.

Suddenly the police officers looked scared and aware of the forming crowd. The officers cuffed the mother, and dragged her over to their police car. They sat her down in the police car and shut the door.

Olivia made eye contact with Officer Ballard. He was on the phone. He held her gaze, talking briefly into the phone, before hanging up. She waved for him to come over to them. He nodded and said something to one of the other officers before approaching him.

He put her iPhone on audio recording and slipped it into her back pocket before Jake came over.

"Captain Ballard."

"Hello, Miss. Enjoying your water?"

"Yes. Can I ask you some questions?" Olivia kept her voice neutral and cool. Emotion would get her nowhere.

"I'm sure I can't answer every single one."

"You can try."

Jake glanced nervously at the people around her listening intently. He lifted the yellow tape and nodded for her to join him on the other side of the tape. She did. They walked a couple of paces away from the rest of the people.

"Could you at least give me your name before you grill me?" He still held his charm, although they both new they were on opposite sides here.

"Olivia Pope."

"No, really. I'm not going to answer any questions if you don't cooperate."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious. I was in the middle of shooting a film on the street over, when we heard gun shots. That man over there is my director. That is why I'm wearing these ridiculously hot clothes and didn't have my wallet on me."

Olivia looked back to Chase. He had his face to the camera, intensely recording everything. She wondered how much sound he could pick up.

"Well, then I feel like a bumbling hillbilly. I didn't know I was in the presence of Hollywood royalty." He smiled.

 _Is he really trying to charm me right now?_ Olivia thought.

"Can I ask my questions now?"

"Shoot."

"You might want to think of better word choice." Olivia looked at the boy laying on the ground.

"Sorry. Ask away."

"What is the officer's name who fired the gun?"

"I can't answer that."

"Why not?"

"Protocol. This is now a crime scene, and civilians are not privy to all of the details."

"Why were shots fired?"

"I can't answer that."

"Why was there no ambulance or sirens after the shots were discharged?"

"I can't—"

"Answer that?" Olivia finished for him. Her emotions rose, and she got heated. "How come his cold body is still lying there three hours after he was gunned down? Can you answer that, Officer Ballard? What about his mother, who is now cuffed in the back of that squad car. What about her? Can you answer that? Or will it take weeks for the Atlanta Police to decide the safest story to tell us? How long will it take for you to perfect the story, effectively vilifying Mr. Williams and his mother?"

Jake sighed, looking Olivia in the eyes. He had soft green eyes. "Ms. Pope. I was just on the phone with the captain. He is aware of the situation and is sending backup. Once backup arrives, we will transport the man's body to a safer location and resume the investigation. As for the mother, I cannot say what will happen to her. She defied law enforcement, and should face the consequences for her actions."

"Consequences? Her son was just killed in the street, I think that whatever consequences you are thinking of should fall flat right now."

"She disobeyed the law."

"So did the officer that started this whole thing to begin with. But I don't see him slammed to the ground, publicly humiliated, and sitting in the back of the squad car."

"Ms. Pope, what do you want?"

"Justice, Officer Ballard."

"Backup is coming. That is all I can tell you. Now, the sun is starting to set. I suggest you go home, and stay there. I would hate for anything to happen to you. This is an unsafe neighborhood at night."

"Because of the police? Or the people. Because I see only one group being violent. Goodbye, Officer Ballard." She turned on her heel and walked back to Chase. When she crossed the line, she pulled her phone out of her pocket, and stopped recording.

"Here. That was our conversation. He isn't telling me anything, but that they called in for backup. I would expect that, though. With the crowd forming. We are about to have a protest."

Like clockwork, a faint sound of sirens came louder and louder. A whole squadron of cars came. Then, larger vehicles. Paddy wagons. Tank-like vehicles. A couple of large black, tinted windowed SUVs. The crowd parted back as these vehicles barreled through. Some stayed at the end of the street, blocking traffic.

"Oh, shit." Chase muttered as he captured it on tape. "Liv, you should probably go home. I don't want you getting mixed up in all of this. It is too dangerous."

"I am tired of people telling me to go home. I am here. I will be fine. Plus, word has already spread through the crowd that I am here. What message would it send, if I leave once the big guns get pulled out?"

Chase looked uncomfortable, wanting her safe.

"I was raised in a wealthy Bostonian suburb. My father was a respected lawyer and professor. Went to the finest prep school in the city. I grew up privileged, and I am aware of that. I'll never know what it is like to grow up in a community set up to fail. But at the end of the day, I am black. And I feel like this is where I need to be."

"Okay. Just be careful. This is about to get ugly. Try and stay by my side."

A black SUV pulled up to the body, and what looked like medical examiners came out. They checked the pulse of the body—as if there could still be one. A man brought a body bag out of the car, and they wrapped the carcass up. Olivia watched in horror as they loaded the body into the car and drove off.

"They can't do that, can they? Just load him into the back of an unmarked SUV? What the fuck."

"I got it on camera. They can't get away with this."

Major news organizations came to the scene. NBC, ABC, CNN, FOX news, MSNBC all came loaded with camera crews and reporters. It didn't take long for one of them to seek out Olivia in the crowd. It was like they had a scent for celebrities. She agreed to do a live interview for one.

"Olivia Pope, It is such a random surprise to see you here. Why are you here?"

"I was shooting a film just a street over, and we heard gun shots. My director and I went to see what was going on."

"What do you make of all of this?" The reporter motioned towards the crime scene.

"Well, I arrived here about three and a half hours ago. It is my understanding that the boy was unarmed. I saw a cell phone video of the incident, but that I all I know of it. They left the body in the street for over three hours. They handcuffed the boy's mother, and she is in the backseat of that cop car over there. I talked to an officer, and he didn't tell me much."

"What do you think gathering out here will do?"

"All I want is justice. If we get enough eyes and ears out here, then maybe some transparency will come. I have yet to see any show of transparency from the Atlanta Police Department, but we will see."

Olivia felt her back pocket vibrate. She pulled the phone out and saw Fitz's name on the screen.

"This is the only interview I will be doing. I am not here for press. I'm here for the Williams family and I hope we get justice for Keilon. Thank you."

"And thank you for speaking with us, Ms. Pope." The reporter threw it back to the studio for a commercial break.

Olivia answered her phone as fast as possible.

"Fitz?"

"Olivia. Oh, God, you are safe."

"Of course I am. Are you watching the news?"

"Yeah, I just saw you on there." His voice was weird, and she couldn't place it.

"What is wrong, Fitz? You sound funny."

"I'm just worried about you."

"I am going to be fine. The major media outlets are here. We are protected."

"CNN isn't going to protect you from a can of tear gas, Olivia."

"You don't understand Fitz, and I don't expect you to. I'll be damned if I just sit on the sidelines and watch from safety. I want justice, and I am needed here."

"Just promise me if things get too rough, that you leave. I can't have you getting hurt across the country. I can't handle it, Liv. I love you too much."

"I love you, too, baby. I promise I will stay safe. I have to go now. Something is happening. I'll text you Chase's number so you can have that too. I'll be staying by his side tonight."

"Okay. Stay safe. I love you."

"I love you too."

Olivia watched as Jake Ballard opened the car containing the mother, and helped her out. Her face was red from her tears, and she looked exhaustive. Olivia could only imagine the trauma she was going through, having her son executed, and put in a squad car for an hour. They unlocked her handcuffs and led her to the crowd.

 _Maybe they realize what a PR disaster that was._ Olivia thought. A legion of officers came out with metal barricades and set them up along the tape. The sun was just about set, leaving a dark blue dusk, broken by the streetlights. Olivia could see from her vantage point, a van full of officers in SWAT uniforms unloaded.

"OFFICER BALLARD." She called, desperate to get answers. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. There was a large crowd, but everyone was peaceful. Other than a few organized chants, there was no threat present.

Jake acknowledged her, nodding for an officer to let her past the barricade.

"Ms. Pope. We meet again. I'm beginning to think you like me."

"Hardly. I just want more answers."

Ballard didn't say anything. He just stood there, looking past Olivia into the crowd.

"You are preparing for a war zone, when this is just a community asking for answers."

"That wasn't a question."

"Why?"

"Night is falling. We are trying to keep the streets safe."

"From who? Yourself?"

"Ms. Pope."

"You are trying to paint them like animals. If you cause a riot, they will be blamed. Then it won't be the people vs. a corrupt justice system. It will be the violent thugs vs. peace and order."

"Again, I fail to see a question."

"Don't do this." Olivia pleaded.

"I refuse to stand here and listen to your accusations. This isn't your neighborhood. I have spent twelve years keeping this street safe. I know the area. Quit acting like you know what you are talking about. Now, you can walk back to the barricade, where you will stay for the rest of the evening, or I can escort you. Whichever you want."

Olivia glared at him as she backed away.

"They are looking for a fight." Olivia told Chase. "Anything to paint us as the bad guys."

Chase nodded, "That's what I was thinking."

They joined the chanting and organized protesting. A few people had bull horns. People made signs. _Justice for Kei. Black Lives Matter. Hands Up Don't Shoot. No Justice, No Peace_.

Night fell and the crowd grew. It was more of a stand-off between the police and protestors. Protestors were standing on cars and chanting. With every chant, a police officer' finger would twitch over his gun, wanting to act.

At about 10:30, a young woman stood on a '97 Acura and raised a megaphone to her mouth.

"Everybody, listen. Please, I have some very important information. The officer in the video has been identified. Witnesses has identified him as Officer Jacob Ballard. He's been working for the force for twelve years. That is all of the information I have now."

Olivia began to feel sick. _Officer Ballard_. "Chase! That is the officer I was talking to." The crowd erupted with energy.

A loud voice came over one of their speakers. "Citizens, you are unlawfully assembled. Please disperse. You have ten minutes to do so. This is a crime scene, and you are disrupting it. This is an obstruction of Justice—"

"Y'all have been obstructing justice ever since four o'clock this afternoon!" the megaphone holder called out. The crowd cheered on.

"Again, you have ten minutes to disperse. Or else, you will be subject to arrest."

"What do we do?" Olivia asked Chase.

"I'm staying. They can't get away with this. But if you leave, no one will think less of you, Olivia. It is okay."

Jason left, bidding them good luck. He took the memory cards of film they had already shot, and made them promise to call later that night.

"I'm staying. If you are staying then I am." Olivia pulled Chase in for a brief hug. "And thank you, by the way, for letting me come."

"I couldn't have stopped you if I tried." Chase chuckled. "But things are only going to get uglier from here. Stay by my side."

"No problem."

A few people left the crowd, but the majority stayed, defying the law enforcement. A student organization went around, handing out goggles and bandanas to protect from any tear gas or mace. The air was so thick, you could slice it with a knife. The ten minutes passed like an eternity. The police issued a final warning. Then, they suited up in riot gear. They brightened the lights on the crowd, blinding them.

"DISPERSE NOW."

"FUCK THAT SHIT." The protestors countered.

"GO HOME."

"GIVE US JUSTICE."

Olivia took her sweater and put it back on. She was grateful that it was large enough to pull over her mouth and nose if necessary.

One canister of tear gas was catapulted into the crowd on the other side of the crime scene. Olivia watched in horror as the crowd dispersed, trying to escape the fumes. There were too many people and nowhere to fit them all. The crowd surged, people were shoved. Olivia linked her arm in Chase's to keep from being separated.

Olivia pulled her bandana over her nose and mouth. She kept her goggles poised on her head, not willing to pull them over her head just yet. She watched as multiple canisters were chucked into the crowd. People screamed. She saw one young girl, probably no older than twenty fall to the ground and be overwhelmed by tear gas.

"Chase. I've got to go help her. I'll be right back."

"No, Liv. Stay here. Dammit!" Chase cursed as Olivia disappeared into the crowd. She found the girl wailing with her eyes red and crying. She took her bandana off to tie around her face.

"Can you walk?" Olivia asked, trying to help her stand. She threw the girl's arm over her shoulder. She was grateful that the girl probably only weighed 120 pounds. She helped her into the gas station she visited earlier. Volunteers were pouring milk into gassed protestors' eyes. Olivia left the girl there and went back out into the commotion.

By now, the officers were unleashed into the crowd. The tear gas made an apocalyptic scene of smoke and wreckage. Olivia tried to find her way back to Chase. She reached the barricade, which was now knocked over. She saw his camera knocked over and smashed to pieces. She checked the tape compartment: empty.

"CHASE." She called out. He was nowhere to be seen. Panic struck in as Olivia focused on helping others. She helped a middle aged man who was knocked off of his feet get to safety, giving him her goggles. Safety was a relative term, because nowhere seemed safe anymore. Olivia ran from a restaurant that was gathering the injured back to the barricade, looking for Chase. She watched an officer grab a man by his dreadlocks and beat him in the face with a stick. She was sure she was in hell.

She watched mace incapacitate peaceful protestors. She wanted to escape, but she didn't know where to go. Officers awaited at each end of the street. Windows busted, cars were lit on fire. Olivia saw an alleyway with two teenage boys inside it. They were carefully peeking out and grabbing protestors, then ushering them down the alleyway. _An escape_. Olivia began to full on sprint towards the exit.

She was only a couple of yards away, when a hand grabbed her hair, pulling her down. She screamed, as her head hit the pavement. She struggled to get up as a foot pressed against her back, pushing her into the rough asphalt.

"Be still, bitch before I pepper spray you to hell." A disgustingly thick accent yelled from above.

Olivia struggled, but she felt another pair of hands roughly hold her down. She refused to give up, trying to crawl away. She felt a zip tie tighten around her wrists so tight she thought they broke her skin. They flipped her over and a palm smacked her across the face, silencing her, and making her loose her vision.

* * *

 **Phew… This is an arc I have wanted to cover for quite some time, I was just waiting for the right time. I didn't plan on this chapter being so long, so I had to split it into two. The next chapter should be up sometime next week.**

 **Thank you for reading, and please review!**


	22. Happy Endings

Happy Endings Are Just Stories That Haven't Ended Yet—Mayday Parade

Keep me dizzy spinning circles around my head  
Believe me that it's worth the rush  
Till we collide with heavy hearts and open minds  
I'm all by myself  
Don't leave me hanging  
Shaking like I'm caught on fire  
We all get stuck in funny ways sometimes  
You and every friend of mine

* * *

Fitz swallowed his third scotch. He didn't feel one effect of the alcohol. He was too wired. Too worried. It was midnight—three o'clock on East coast. Olivia had yet to call. He had no word of her safety. CNN remained muted, but replaying the disturbing images of the protest turned wrong. There was no internet chatter about her, other than her presence there and her interview. He had placed over twenty missed calls to her, and a couple to Chase's number. No replies either way. He went to pour a fourth, when his phone rang on his knee. He didn't recognize the number, but immediately answered.

"Fitz Grant."

"Fitz…"

"Olivia." He breathed, relief washing over his system. Her voice was distant and quiet. "You are safe."

"Fitz, I only have a minute, so I need you to listen to me, and I really need for you to remain calm. Please, stay calm and do what I say."

"What is going on?" He felt alarm rise in him. His chest got tight.

"I was arrested. Over some bull shit, that probably won't stick. I'm not alone, they have overcrowded the station. We were all peaceful, but they arrested us anyways. My bail is set at $500. Please get a hold of Chase. I haven't seen him, and I'm worried about him. They told me he wasn't entered into booking, but this place is so hectic right now."

"Olivia—what the fuck?" Fitz's voice was strained. There was so much confusion in his voice, he couldn't think of words.

"Please don't be angry. Nobody expected it to be that bad. The important thing is I'm safe." There was some chatter in the background. "Okay, my time is up. Please post bail. Once I get my phone back, I can talk to you. Bye, I love you."

"Olivia—wait. Damnit!" The lone clicked dead, and Fitz was left there with no response. He chucked his phone into the ground, and watched it as it bounced a couple of feet away from him.

Olivia was escorted back to the holding cell. Her seat was taken, so she sat on the floor next to an undergraduate student from Georgia Tech.

"I'm going to miss my internship in the morning. Fuck." The girl ran her fingers through her hair. She looked eighteen. Terrified, and Olivia felt for her.

"Where do you work?"

"I teach STEM activities at a low-income summer school. The program who employed me helps pay off my student debt."

"Can you not post bail?"

The girl looked at her, with a slightly sympathetic _you-must-not-get-it_ look. "My parents live five hours away in the Southern part of Georgia. My dad is a garbage truck driver, and my mom cleans houses. They don't have $500 to spare. I just have to wait two days until they release me." She sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair, keeping her head bowed. "It will be a miracle if I don't get fired for this, anyways."

Olivia placed her hand on her back and rubbed it comfortingly. Her heart was breaking for this girl. She didn't have the privileges Olivia had. She didn't have a cushioned bank account, with people able to drop everything for her. She was alone. Young and alone, in a world designed against her.

"Don't worry about your bail." Olivia said. She couldn't sit here and watch this girl's life crumble due to circumstance.

"What?" She lifted her head, like she wasn't sure if she heard correctly.

"Once I get called out—which should be any minute now—I'll cover your bail."

"I'm not—I wasn't telling you that to guilt you into paying it. I mean, I know who you are, but I wasn't—"

"Shhh. It's handled. It is okay. Just give me your name." Olivia smiled, and took the girl's hand, squeezing it.

"Aaliyah Henry." The girl wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye before it could escape too far. "Thank you. Thank you, so much."

An officer appeared at the bars of the holding cell. "Olivia Carolyn Pope."

She got on her knees and took both of Aaliyah's hands in hers. "It will take a while for me to get my stuff in order and take care of it all, but I promise I'll get you out of here by morning."

Olivia arose and walked out of the cell. She looked back at the group of women who would all probably be spending the night there. The officer didn't give her any time for reflection as he pushed her along to the glass window, where they returned her cell phone.

Her phone was so overloaded with messages, she thought it would crash. Her mind went into fix it mode. The first thing she did was call a cab to take her back to set where her purse and car was. Once a cab was on the way, she called Anna.

"Oh, thank God, you are alive." Was the first thing Olivia heard.

"Hi. Anna. I don't have long to talk, but to fill you in, I was arrested."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing. _Resisted arrest_ or whatever. Anyways, I was booked, fingerprinted, and they took my mug shot. I need you to work on keeping those from getting out. I don't know how much the public knows about my arrest, but I would like to keep it locked up."

"Good thing I have people owing me favors in the area. I'll get to work on it."

"Thanks. That is all I need. I'll probably talk to you tomorrow."

"Alright, Liv. I'm on it."

Olivia stepped into her Uber, and took the short drive to her car. She dialed Fitz.

"Hey." Fitz seemed to be doing slightly better than the last time she talked to him.

"Hi. Thank you so much for posting bail. I just got out. Could you find anything out about Chase?"

"Yeah, he wasn't arrested. I talked to him. He said he called you a couple of times. He told me to tell you that the shoot was postponed until Monday, but he wanted to have a meeting with the cast and crew Saturday."

"Oh, I haven't gone through my messages yet." Olivia stepped out of the cab and walked to her car. "I am arriving at my car. I've got to go back to the jail to take care of some things, then I will be taking a really long sleep."

"You need to get your rest. My plane should land at 11 in the morning over there. I understand if you are asleep then. Just leave a key stashed outside your apartment or something. I'll let myself in."

"You are flying here?" Olivia asked. She couldn't tell if she was hallucinating from exhaustion and trauma.

"Yes. Livvie, I need to see you."

"What about work? You just can't up and walk out mid-week. You'll set your production back."

"I'm not going to debate priorities with you right now. You trump everything."

"Okay." Olivia nodded. God knew, she missed him, and would want nothing more than him right now. "It will be on the top of door frame sill."

"Okay. I'll let you go. My plane is about to board. I will see you soon."

Olivia pulled back into the jail. It was the last place she wanted to be, but she promised. She went to the officer behind the desk.

"Hello, I'd like to post bail for Aaliyah Henry. She was taken into custody earlier this evening."

"One minute." The officer began to type into his computer, pulling her up.

"Actually, is there any way you could tell me how many protestors are still being held? That haven't posted bail yet?"

"Ma'am I can't disclose that information to you."

"What if I would like to pay their bail?"

/

Fitz slowly turned the key in the lock. It was nearly noon. Olivia sent him a text at four in the morning, telling him she was safely at her apartment, so he was positive that she was still asleep. He set his bag down softly in the hallway, as he walked through her unfamiliar apartment. He found her bedroom, via the trail of clothes strewn on the floor.

She was passed out, with her covers bundled around her legs. She must have gotten hot in the night. She was wearing her underwear and a t shirt. Emotion overwhelmed Fitz, as he realized she was in the flesh, and okay. He sat on the edge of her bed, using a finger to pull her hair out of her face. He didn't want to disturb her sleep, but he wanted to see her awake. Her hair pulled back revealed a nasty bruise on the side of her face.

"Livvie." He whispered. He began to feel angry with whoever did this to her. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "Livvie." He whispered again. She barely stirred, sighing in her sleep. He wanted to crawl in bed behind her, but how was he to know where else she was hurt?

Fitz planted a kiss on her shoulder, effectively waking her up.

"Fitz?" She mumbled groggily.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here."

Olivia's arms reached out to his neck as she pulled him in for a hug. Fitz encircled her tiny frame. She felt so fragile and child-like. They stayed like that for the longest time until Fitz pulled back.

"What did they do to you?" He gingerly touched the edges of her face where she was bruised.

"I was trying to escape. They blocked off all exits and moved in on us like animals. I tried to make it to an alleyway, but an officer dragged me down and slapped me."

"How were you separated from Chase? I thought you promised to stay with him."

"I did, but there was a girl who was gassed. I _had_ to help her. When I returned, everything was so different."

"Olivia…" Fitz had a look she had never seen before. Hurt mixed with a new level of rage. He was so tense, she could feel it in his arms.

"Fitz, I'm fine." Olivia caressed his face and ran her hands through his hair. "It isn't fair, but it is what it is. Now, we just have to figure out how to move forward. We have to take our slights with the big picture in mind. You are here, and I'm safe, and everything is going to be okay. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now come here." Olivia scooted to the other side of the bed and pulled the covers back for Fitz. Olivia curled into his side, resting her head on his chest. "I have to figure my next move out. I asked Anna to take care of keeping my arrest under wraps, but I'm not sure if anyone caught my arrest on video. If it does, that might not be the worst thing in the world, but I would rather not have to deal with it.

"You know, it could do a lot of good to let people know what happened. Write an open letter or blog post about it. Think of the outrage and sympathy it would spark."

"Maybe. This is all a little too fresh right now." Olivia leaned up to kiss his jaw, "But I'll think about it. I paid for everyone's bail last night. It cost a little over $15,000, but that is manageable. I would like for that to stay private. I don't want it to look like a publicity stunt."

"You—what?"

"I got to talking to a girl who didn't have family or friends who could pay her bail. She was going to lose her job if she wasn't at work the next day. She had a lot of student debt, and the job was going towards that. After you got me out, I couldn't help but think how many others had similar circumstances. How many of them weren't given second chances in life, so I paid for 30-something bails."

"That is really generous."

""It got me thinking—obviously, I'm not going to go back out into any protesting—it is too dangerous. I think I will research organizations devoted to helping out protestors and victimized families. I can bring a lot of positive publicity to them. I can use my talents as a public figure for good."

Fitz used his finger to gently bring her chin up so she was looking at him. "Olivia. I am so proud of you. You saw something wrong, and took the steps to make it better. I hate that you got caught up in the gruesome side of it. I want to kill whoever hurt you, but you are making the best of it."

Olivia laid there in his arms, feeling safe for the first time in a long time. "What time is it?"

"Early afternoon."

"We should eat lunch."

"I grabbed a bite at the airport. What do you want? I'll go get it for you."

"There is a Greek café across the street. I'll call in for you to pick me up a salad."

"Alright." Fitz sat up and got out of the bed. He kissed her on the lips before grabbing her phone and tossing it to her.

After he left to get her meal, Olivia went to the bathroom to take a shower. She saw in the mirror her fully formed bruise. It honestly didn't hurt nearly as much as it looked. ' _Makeup is going to have a hell of a time with that'_ she thought as she turned the water on to warm up.

As the steam filled the bathroom, he leaned in to examine her face closer. The purplish color was disturbing looking, but at least it didn't swell. The longer she looked at it, the angrier she got. As she showered, she entertained the idea of writing an open letter about the incident. There would no doubt be confusion about what happened to her last night. Her interview documented her presence there, so people had to be wondering.

' _Control the narrative. Make sure it is you telling the story,'_

/

"With the world watching Olivia Pope's interview, where she expressed her support at the scene of the protest, not even an hour before things turned violent, we were left wondering what happened to her." The sensationalizing reporter paused for dramatizing effect. "But we now have answers. This cell phone video was captured last night. Ms. Pope is seen running away from the crime scene, away from the crime scene. About six seconds into the video. We see a police officer catch up to her and slam her into the ground. Warning—this is graphic content. Another officer is then seen at ten seconds to help the officer in Pope's arrest. She is roughly slammed repeatedly into the ground and slapped across the face, before being dragged off to custody. We were told she was released from custody early this morning, but we have yet to hear any comment from her."

Olivia watched as the grainy video replayed with narration. It didn't seem like it was her in the video. She felt like she was watching a third person in their desperate battle, yet she found her cheek throbbing.

Olivia applied her ice pack to her face. She opened Microsoft Word on her computer and just started to type. Words flowed off of her consciousness and onto her fingertips, faster than she had ever thought they could. She walked through everything she witnessed, from the gun shots to her run in with Officer Ballard in the gas station, all the way to her arrest and time in the holding cell. She left out the part about paying all of the bails, for humility reasons. Then she moved onto her personal beliefs—her upbringing and how it shaped her—and what she wants to come from the justice process, along with a commendation of the brave efforts of the other protestors and organizers.

She slipped into a zone where she didn't hear Fitz walk in the apartment. He set her lunch down on the table and kissed her cheek, knocking her out of her zone.

"Hey babe. The news stations have a cell phone video of my arrest. Give it a minute, and it will come back on the screen. I was thinking about what you said about an open letter about what happened last night. Now that everyone knows what happened to me, I think I should say something. Read this and tell me what you think."

Fitz raised an eyebrow, "You did this all in the time I went to get lunch? Wow." He took her computer and began to read the document. He made his small corrections to word placement, but left the overall content the same. "That is really good. Very compelling."

"Thank you. I was thinking of sending it to Chase to have him proof it. I need to be as politically correct as possible in everything, and he knows more than I do. Then I'll send it off to Anna to distribute it."

Fitz kissed her softly on the lips, still mindful of the bruise. Olivia returned another kiss before reaching across the table for her phone. "I need you to take a picture of my profile, for the letter. I want people to see the bruise."

"Are you sure?" Fitz asked, rubbing his hand along her thigh.

"Yes. I'm sure."

Olivia ate her lunch and called Chase. The last time she saw him, he was in the thick of the storm, filming, but when she ran back out to where they were stationed, she found his smashed camera. Her mind imagined the worst, but she was then pre-occupied with her own arrest. Relief flooded her system as she heard his smooth voice over the phone.

"Hey, Liv. I can't tell you what a relief it is to know you are safe."

"Likewise, Chase. What happened to you? I came back to our spot, but all I saw was the broken camera. I was so worried. I thought they took you."

"No, they did smash the camera, though. I managed to get the tapes out through. I watched for you, but never saw you. Two guys rushed me out of there so quick. I'm so sorry about what happened, I—"

"It wasn't your fault. Don't apologize."

"But you are my responsibility. I took you out there, and it was you who was arrested and harmed."

"The only person at fault is the officer who put his hands on me. So I refuse to accept any apology, because it isn't necessary."

"Okay, but just know, that I had no idea it would be that bad. I would have never put both of us in that danger if I knew. But, listen, I got the best footage. I'm editing it right now. I'm going to try to release it by Monday."

Olivia filled him in on her idea for an open letter, and emailed him her rough draft. They talked over the phone about it, and the changes he would recommend. After Olivia felt satisfied with the final copy, she called Anna.

Anna assured her that her mugshot would be kept under lock and key, but she couldn't stop the release of the cell phone video. Olivia shared her idea for the letter, and sent her it along with the picture. Anna promised to distribute it to the major internet news sources.

Olivia hung up and shut her computer. Fitz was sitting on the couch across from her. She stood and went over to straddle his lap, burying her face in his neck in a hug. Fitz circled his arms around her back, pulling her closer.

"I'm so glad you are here." Olivia whispered into his skin. She truly never felt safer than when she was in his arms. Fitz rubbed slow circles into her back. She pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"What did I do to deserve you?" Fitz whispered. He slid one hand around the nape of her neck and drew her in for a soft, languid kiss. Olivia felt the heat she had missed so much rise up in her, as se deepened the kiss. Her fingernails scraped gently along his scalp as she tugged his hair. She felt his tongue dart in and out of her mouth. He palmed her ass roughly, causing a low moan to escape from the back of her throat. Fitz moved to her neck, kissing the areas he knew pleased her.

"I don't think…I can…go…four weeks without…without you, again." Olivia mumbled, her head thrown back giving him better access. She could feel his growing erection against her sweatpants, and she began to get impatient, wanting him inside her. They were both still fully clothed.

Olivia pulled Fitz's shirt off, re-exploring his chiseled abdomen with her fingers. She lifted her arms up so Fitz could remove her t shirt and bra. It turned her on so much to see Fitz's eyes darken at the sight of her erect and untouched nipples.

Olivia slid a hand down to rub his crotch, and get the point across of what she wanted. She stood, ridding herself of the rest of her clothing, as Fitz did the same. His cock sprang forth, begging her to ride it.

She climbed back on his lap, hoisting herself up inches above his throbbing member. She grabbed him in one hand and slid him up and down her slit, pleasuring her clit. They were both panting by the time Olivia slid down, taking him inch by inch. Mumbled expletives streamed out of their mouths as they joined together.

Olivia moved up and down, taking a little more of him with every stroke. Fitz felt like he was going to slip over the edge with every stroke. With one arm hooked around her back to keep her stable, and the other pressuring her bundle of nerves. He could feel her tightening up. Her breath shortened.

"Oh, God. Fitz. I'm gonna…"

"Come, baby. Come." Fitz placed sloppy, open mouthed kisses on her neck and throat. Vibrations of the most pleasurable moans danced on his tongue. She collapsed in the crook of his neck. He flipped them over so that Olivia was sitting on the couch and he was on his knees pounding into her. He came, spilling his seed into her.

They sat there, trying to regain their breathing. Olivia cradled Fitz's head between her breasts. The time spent apart only heightened their desire for each other. Olivia ran her fingers across his broad, muscular back, thinking of how blessed she was to be here with him in the flesh.

Eventually, he stood, carrying Olivia with him to the shower. They went for two more rounds in the shower, before washing each other off, ordering delivery, and spending the rest of their evening in bed together, watching nightly talk shows. Fitz was just in his boxers, and Olivia was in one of his t shirts and a pair of underwear. Fitz's hands wandered aimlessly over her body, taking advantage of their time together.

He couldn't tell if it was just a result of him not holding her for a whole month, but she felt—different. To over simplify it, she felt thinner. Her body was always in tip-top shape, and it still was, but there were small things he noticed. Her hip bone was more prominent. He could almost count her ribs easier.

He laid there, thinking about it. Should he say something? Wasn't that on the huge list of no-no's to mention your girlfriend's weight to her? He reached down to kiss her forehead, earning a soft smile from her. _God, she was so breathtaking_. Jimmy Fallon threw it to commercial, and a soda commercial came on the screen.

"Livvie?"

"Mmm?"

Fitz paused, exhaling softly. "You know you are always going to be the most beautiful woman in the world, right?"

A delicate giggle erupted from her lips as she rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Olivia…"

"What?" Olivia sat up and looked at him. She could tell that something was up.

"You are…skinnier than the last time I saw you. I can tell."

"What are you trying to say?" Olivia crossed her legs, facing him. There was a sting to her voice, masked by self-control.

"It's not a criticism, just an observation…followed with concern. Have you been eating properly?" Fitz brought a hand to her knee and rubbed circles into it.

"Yes." Olivia's eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at, Fitz?"

"Nothing, I was just asking a question. I'm just looking out for you."

"I'm under a lot of stress with this role. It is nothing. My body is allowed to fluctuate."

"Okay." Fitz nodded, dropping the subject. He realized how uncomfortable he just made her, but he cared enough to ask.

"You don't believe me." Olivia moved her knee from his hand.

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to." Olivia stood and disappeared to the bathroom.

"Liv." Fitz called out behind her. He decided to give her space. He listened as she did her nightly routine. She came back and returned to her side of the bed. She surprised him when she silently curled into his side and closed her eyes. He took that as the cue to go to sleep, so he flipped the TV off as well as the bedside lamp.

"I love you, Livvie. Don't ever forget that." He whispered, hoping she was still awake to hear.


	23. Eye Of The Needle

**Here is chapter 23. I wasn't expecting to be popping these chapters out so fast, but I'm not going to question it, and I'm just going to enjoy this inspiration and drive haha. Enjoy!**

Eye of the Needle—Sia

Take me down  
I'm feeling now  
And if I move on  
I admit you're gone  
And I ain't ready  
And I'll hold steady  
Yeah, I'll hold you in my arms…

…Step and repeat  
Tears fall to the beat  
Smile through pain  
Feel the acid rain  
And I ain't ready  
But I'll hold steady  
Yeah, I'll hold you in my arms, in my arms, in my arms

* * *

Olivia's letter was very well received by the media. Many people hailed her as a civil rights queen, which she, of course, humbly denied. As to be expected, many conservatives called her a race-baiter, but they were drowned out by the tidal wave of support. She met with some local organizers, and talked about setting up GoFundMe campaigns for bails and damages to local businesses.

Fitz was going to stay with Olivia until shooting continued Monday. Then, he would fly back out to L.A. to continue working on his film. Olivia's crew would end up having to find a new location to shoot, since the peaceful protests caused too much noise for proper filming. It would set them back a whole week, which meant she wouldn't be able to go home for another month.

Friday night, Fitz took Olivia and Chase out to dinner at a nice restaurant in Midtown. It was, in part, a PR move, advised by Anna, so that they could be photographed casually out in public since her arrest. When they stepped out of the car, Olivia wasn't surprised to have a few photographers waiting. She linked her hand to Fitz, and Chase hung back a few steps, not wanting to be in their shots.

"I've heard Olivia is quite the expert on wine." Chase noted as they were seated and perusing the wine menu.

"She has yet to show me a wine I don't like." Fitz winked at her. "Your choice."

"Hmmm." Olivia scrolled up and down the impressive wine list, before placing her order with the waiter.

They ordered their food, and conversation flowed freely. Chase and Fitz discussed favorite films, and directors. Chase revealed his plans to move to Los Angeles after the release of his film, and try to work from out there. Fitz promised to hook him up with connections if he ever needed any.

"What about your love life?" Olivia broached the subject, with a curious smile. "Are you going to be leaving a lonely man in New York?"

Chase gave an awkward laugh. "I am not gay."

"Oh my God, I am so sorry." Olivia threw a hand to her face in embarrassment. "I just assumed, because you wrote the script about the riots, and you dress so nicely."

"It's okay. And thank you for the compliment. I was raised by two moms. They were my inspiration for this film, and the reason why I'm so interested in the history of LGBT rights. In fact, a bunch of qualities your character has are because of my mom. I kind of based you and Emma's character off of them. Other than that, I am very straight. I just got out of a long term relationship, actually." He smiled, letting them know it was okay.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be. It was an easy, clean break. Not as sad as they seem in the movies. But it does make me anxious for my move to Los Angeles. I'm ready for a fresh environment, and a clean start."

"Well," Fitz joined in, "I know a girl that could help you out with that fresh start."

"Are you about to hook me up with someone?" Chase laughed as he took a hearty sip of his wine.

"Who?" Olivia nudged Fitz.

"Mellie."

"Mellie!" Olivia squealed in excitement as she got where he was going.

Fitz pulled out his phone, and scrolled through it for a second before settling on a picture. "My friend is on the market right now, if you're interested."

Chase's jaw dropped. "If you got me a date with _Mellie Stonewood_ , I don't know how I would repay you."

"Consider it done. Whenever you're out on the West Coast, here's her number. I'll hype you up to her. Put in a good word."

Chase eagerly entered her number into her phone, and expressed his thanks. Their food came out, and they finished their meals. Fitz noted how much Olivia ate, concerned about her reaction to him asking about her weight earlier. She didn't clean her plate, and ate a little more than half of her smoked salmon.

Fitz dropped Chase off at his apartment, bidding him goodbye, in case he didn't see him before he left.

"I don't want to go home yet. Why don't we go for a walk? It's so unusually cool out tonight. Piedmont Park is on the way home."

"Of course, just give me directions."

They strolled to the lake in the massive park. A picturesque bridge offered passage across the lake, with a white gazebo in the middle.

"Wouldn't it be something if Chase and Mellie worked out?" Olivia wrapped an arm around his waist. "We could double date."

Fitz scrunched his face at her words. "So I would have to share you with others? It's a good thing I gave him a fake number."

"Fitz!" Olivia playfully punched his gut.

"I'm kidding." Fitz smiled at the sound of her unfiltered laugh. "Mellie deserves happiness. And God knows her last boyfriend _s_ haven't given her any of that. Chase seems like a solid guy. It would be something if they worked out."

Fitz stopped when they reached the gazebo. They held a beautiful view of the Atlanta skyline the reflected across the lake. He pulled Olivia towards him with a hand on her waist, sliding south. "I kind of like Atlanta." He whispered, as he bent down to brush his nose against his.

"You like this weather?" Olivia questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I like the view." Fitz's crystal blue eyes held hers, and she knew he wasn't talking about the skyline. He backed her against a pole supporting the gazebo. "That amongst other things."

"I'm sorry, but you are going to have to elaborate on what _other things_ includes." Olivia smirked, as his lips brushed over hers. She brought her manicured fingers to his hair, pulling him deeper to her. She would never tire of the way his body felt against hers, and the way his hands always find their path to settle on her ass. He was so possessive, and it turned her on.

He broke the kiss, leaving his mouth hovering centimeters away from hers. He could smell the wine off of her breath, as she panted.

"I guess Atlanta isn't so bad after all." She smiled. He kissed her smile, before taking her hand and leading her back to the car.

/

Saturday, Olivia went to a cast and crew meeting, where Chase and the producers filled them in on all of the changes they would have to accommodate. There was only one scheduling conflict with an actor that couldn't stay an extra week, so they switched times around, so he could get his scenes in. Chase also decided to hold on to the footage he shot, and turn it into a mini-documentary about the process of justice for Keilon Williams. He released a teaser kind of trailer, to peak the public's interest. He would be working overtime to produce that and the film, but some of the other crew members—Olivia included—agreed to help.

Afterwards, Fitz took Olivia to a Braves game against the San Francisco Giants. Olivia never really cared for sports, but she cherished the environment and time spent with Fitz. He bought them paraphernalia in the gift store, so they would fit in.

"I didn't realize you were such a Braves fan." Olivia laughed as he finished yelling smack talk to a Giants player.

"I'm not. I just really hate the Giants." Fitz leaned down to kiss her. "I am too many generations deep as Dodgers fan to not enjoy them losing."

Fitz pointed out the important players on each team, and their stats. By the end of the game, Olivia was cheering just as loud as everyone around them. Fitz bought seats in the crowd, instead of the pricier box seats, so they could get the full experience of a ball game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Freddie Freeman hit a home run with the bases loaded, handing the Braves a sure win. The crowd erupted boisterously, and Fitz picked Olivia up in a big bear hug. They high fived and shook the hands of everyone around them.

They managed the crowd as they walked out of the stadium hand in hand. The crowd thinned as they walked down the sidewalk to their parking lot. A large Giants fan, with multiple beers under his belt, bumped into Olivia, nearly knocking her down.

"Excuse me." Olivia mumbled politely, catching herself on Fitz's hand.

"Dumb ass black bitch." The man muttered, giving Olivia a dirty look down before continuing at his pace.

Olivia almost rolled her eyes, but didn't. Before she could stop him, Fitz reached out and grabbed the man's arm.

"What did you say to her?" Fitz asked with a menacing tone.

"Fitz, don't." Olivia clung to his hand, trying to pull him back, but he stood his ground.

The man turned around. "Oh, what. Are you her boyfriend? Disgusting ass motherfuckers like you need to learn to keep it in your race."

"Shut up." Fitz growled.

"Baby, please. Let's go." Olivia put a hand against his stomach, and stepped halfway in between them, trying to get him to back away.

"Oh, I recognize you." The drunk man pointed a finger at Olivia. "You are that pretty little actress that was arrested in that riot on the ghetto side of town. How did it feel to be treated like the animals you people act like?"

Fitz stepped out of Olivia's reach, and cracked the man in his mouth. Olivia screamed. The man stumbled back, but Fitz followed him, laying one more to his face. Olivia felt helpless, as she knew she wasn't big enough to stop Fitz.

A couple of guys that were around came over to pull Fitz back. They held his arms down until he stopped swinging.

The man rose to his feet, wiping the blood away from his nose, and looking at it in his hands. "That dark pussy must be real nice, if you are willing to fight for it." He laughed an evil rumble before walking away. Fitz struggled with the men holding him down, trying to free himself.

"FITZ!" Olivia yelled, effectively grabbing his attention. Once he saw the anger and frustration in her eyes, he relaxed.

"Okay, guys, I'm good." He shrugged their hands off of him.

"Thank you." Olivia said to the men. The drunken Giants fan was now far into the crowd, and concerned with something else, probably.

Olivia and Fitz stood there staring at each other. Olivia was close to shaking in anger, and Fitz didn't know what to say.

"Liv—"

"Give me the keys. I'm driving." Olivia snatched the keys out of his hand and briskly walked past him.

They drove in silence. Fitz felt like a kid caught fighting on the playground in the car ride home after the principal called his mom. When they reached the apartment, Olivia parked the car, and went straight in, keeping her silence. Fitz sighed, eventually following her in.

He found her in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of wine. Her back was facing him. He knew, by the tension in her shoulders, that she was aware of his presence. He walked up behind her, and placed his hands on her hips, and brought his lips to her ear.

"Hey, I'm sorry."

"Fitz, don't."

"Let me—"

"I said _don't_." Olivia turned and pushed him away roughly. Fitz was shocked by her reaction. "Or do you even hear me when I say words like that? Don't. Stop. Walk away."

"What did you expect me to do? Stand there and let him disrespect you like that?"

"Yes." Olivia fought the tears of frustration and anger. "I expected you to act like a level-headed human being and step back. Not feel the need to prove your masculinity and fucking go ham on him."

Fitz raised his voice to match hers. "This has nothing to do with proving masculinity—whatever the fuck that means—this has to do with me protecting you."

"What did you expect, coming to the South with a black woman on your arm? That people would suddenly open their minds to us? That the racism that has prospered for centuries would finally crumble? Welcome to the real world. Where people say shit about you, and it hurts, but you can't fight all of them. That was nothing but words back there, but you had to escalate it to a fist fight. We could have walked away. You didn't have to humiliate me like that."

"I humiliated you?"

"YES."

"I humiliated you, but that piece of shit who was saying those disgusting things didn't? I'm not following you logic here."

"I asked you _repeatedly_ to stop. But you didn't listen, you didn't care. All you cared about was showing that man how big your muscles were, and how hard you could throw them at his face. You didn't care about how it would blow back on me. You didn't care that I was hanging on your arm, desperately asking you to stop. Don't you think I've been in the headlines enough this year? Between being assaulted at the SAG Awards, to being a victim of voter fraud, to being slammed into the ground by a police officer? Why don't we throw another headline on top of that? _Olivia Pope's Boyfriend Engages In Drunken Fight After Baseball Game._ I'm sure the National Enquirer can come up with something wittier. I'll leave it up to them. But I, for one, am tired of being a headline. You don't get it, but I guess I couldn't expect you to." Tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at the floor, then the ceiling. Anywhere but Fitz.

"Livvie." His voice was soft. He crossed the kitchen to her. He pulled her in for a hug, but she put her hands on his chest and shoved him away, just like before.

"Fitz, _Don't_."

She grabbed the wine bottle and glass and walked into the bedroom, locking the door behind her.

/

Fitz returned to the apartment, with all his arms full of groceries. The apartment was dark, except for a light coming from the crack of the door to the bedroom. He began to prepare dinner. After their fight, Fitz spent fifteen minutes of standing alone in the kitchen, then decided that hanging around wouldn't result in anything productive. He grabbed the keys off of the counter and left. It took a long drive around the city to decide that his best bet would be to return with dinner. That would be his apology.

He got to cooking, casting occasional glances to the bedroom, as if he could see past it. He prepared a tray of chicken alfredo, roasted asparagus, and zucchini fries, with a flower in a vase for an extra _I'm sorry_ touch.

"Olivia?" He called as he knocked on the door. There was no answer, so he tried the door handle open. "Liv, I've got your dinner. I made your favorites."

He walked into the bedroom, and looked around. She was sitting in a chair in the corner with a robe on, and an ounce of wine left in her glass. He could tell by the slight droop in her eyelids and general unresponsiveness, that she was very drunk.

He looked around for the wine bottle, to see how much she had actually drunk, but he didn't see it. She stood, swaying towards him. He held her by her forearms, afraid she might tumble.

"Do you want to eat, Olivia?"

"No."

"Olivia."

"I'm not hungry for _that_." Olivia wriggled in his arms. He released her. She shrugged her robe down to her feet to reveal her completely naked. She leaned against him, her nipples rubbing against his shirt.

"Olivia…"

She staggered backwards, trying her best to stand upright. "I'm still mad at you."

Fitz picked up the robe and held it out to her, "I know."

She took the robe, but didn't put it on.

"Forgive me. I'm sorry for what I did back there. I wasn't thinking about you, or how it would affect you. I just saw red. It won't happen again."

"Come here."

Fitz slowly closed the distance between them. Olivia grabbed the hem of his shirt and tried to pull it off of him.

"Olivia, I don't think we should so this tonight."

She stopped, and looked up at him. "Why, not?"

"Because you're drunk."

"We've done it drunk before, you know. It still feels just as good." She ran her hands up and down his chest, letting her fingers clumsily slip below his waistband.

"Liv, we just had a fight, and I don't want to."

"You don't feel like you don't want to." She groped his expanding manhood.

"Olivia." Fitz grabbed her wrists, bringing them up to her chest. "No."

"Do you not still think I'm pretty?" She struggled with her words, trying to make her inebriated thoughts translate to words.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He kissed her furrowed brow.

"Don't you still find me sexy?"

"Of course."

"Okay."

"Why don't we sit down, eat some food, drink some water so we feel okay tomorrow, and cuddle on the couch."

"Okay."

Her willingness surprised him. He helped her put the robe on, and brought over the tray of food. He went to the kitchen to grab his food and pour her a big glass of water. When he returned, he was surprised to see her scarfing down the meal.

"Here, drink this." He handed her the water, which she accepted. They ate in silence. Fitz made her drink a couple more glasses of water. They moved to the couch, where Fitz settled the television on a black and white movie neither one of them had seen before. Olivia laid on top of Fitz, with her head resting on his chest. He scratched her back until she fell asleep, then carried her to bed.

/

Olivia woke up with a dull headache, and a foul taste in her mouth. She carefully slid out of Fitz's arms and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. After drinking a glass of water with some Advil, she returned to bed. She sat on the edge of the bed, and thought about what happened the night before. She thought about Fitz making her favorite foods, and taking care of her drunk. She wasn't angry at him anymore, and couldn't be if she tried. She watched him sleep, curled around where her body was earlier.

She gently pushed him so that he was flat on his back, without waking him. She straddled him, careful not to put all of her weight on him, and kissed the corner of his mouth. She trailed her kisses to his ear.

"Good morning, babe."

He mumbled, his hands finding her ass in his half-awake state. She kissed his neck, sucking hard enough to wake him up.

"Olivia?"

"Shhh." She whispered, moving to his Adam's apple. She kissed down his chest, inching her body down his. He was fully awake now, and she could tell by his erection hardening against her stomach. She reached the waist of his boxers, and pulled them off of his body.

She felt the power she had over him, when she took his cock in her hand. Peppering kisses up and down his shaft, she could fell him almost squirming beneath her. She took his tip in her mouth, tracing the outline with her tongue. She could taste his salty precum on her lips.

"Oh, God, Livvie." Fitz called out. He reached down to hold her hair back.

"I want to hear how good I feel, baby." Olivia locked eyes with him as she took him inch by inch into her mouth.

" _fuck_." Fitz groaned as his hips bucked. Olivia bobbed up and down, as far as he would go. She knew he wouldn't last long. She massaged his balls in her hand, and hummed, creating vibrations from her lips. Fitz exploded, calling a mixture of Olivia's name and a higher being. Olivia swallowed his cum, climbing back up to his face.

"I love you." She kissed him chastely on the lips before going to the kitchen for a glass of water. She returned to bed to find Fitz, right where she left him.

"I woke from a dream to an even better one."

Olivia handed him the rest of the water, and sat next to him. "I didn't want you to leave with us on bad terms. What time do you need to be at the airport?"

"Noon."

"Mmm… So that gives us…" She checked an imaginary watch on her wrist. "How many hours to make it up to each other?"

Fitz checked his phone from the nightstand, and shot her a devilish grin, "Three hours."

/

"This is the first call for first class aboard flight 0493 to LAX. Please get in line so we can begin the boarding process. Please have your boarding pass and personal identification in your hand."

Olivia didn't have any plans that afternoon, so she went through security with him, and waited at the gate until his plan boarded. They hung out in a booth at an airport café across from the gate, until the plane began to board.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay without me?" Fitz smirked, as he stood and gathered his bag.

Olivia rolled her eyes and adjusted her Braves baseball cap, "With how much you tired me out this morning, I'll be spending the next month sleeping."

"I'll see you in a bit." He stooped to kiss her on the lips and pulled her in for a hug. Olivia didn't let go for a second, burying her face in his chest and inhaling the scent of his shirt.

"Thank you for coming." She mumbled into his shirt.

"Last call, first class to LAX." The flight attendant called over the loud speaker.

"Just stay out of trouble for the next month. I don't think I can afford another ticket." Fitz winked. He lifted her cap to kiss her on the forehead and went to take his place in line.

Olivia went straight back to her apartment, before her eyes could get too misty. She settled on her couch with a glass of wine and her script to get back to work.

* * *

 **So Fitz is back to LA, and Olivia is back to work. Please let me know your thoughts in the reviews. I'll put up the next chapter as soon as I can!**


	24. I Know

I Know (ft. Jhené Aiko)—Big Sean

I know you've been goin' through some things, aha  
I know you don't even love the same, do you, do you?  
I know you've been runnin' on empty, runnin' on empty

The way you move it's like you could use a vacation  
Drink in your hand and the harder you dance  
I swear right now it look like you on a vacation  
Gotta get away, make it happen  
Whatever happened just had to happen  
On vacation, yeah  
I know you've been, I know you've been  
Dancin', dancin' dancin' like you fucking got a reason  
Dancing like it's something to believe in  
Dancing like it's fuckin' dancing season

* * *

 **THREE WEEKS LATER**

Olivia raced down the street, as fast as her feet would carry her. Sweat perspired on her forehead, as she ducked into an alleyway, and hid behind a trash can. Her heart was racing, whether she wanted it to or not. Nighttime brought cool to the air, but the humidity still stuck to her like a second skin. She heard the league of sneaker-clad feet race by along with a couple of angry grunts and boyish yells. She stayed crouched in her dirty cubbyhole, hugging her knees to her chest.

"CUT." A Chase yelled out. "Olivia, you can come out. That was perfect."

Olivia stood out of her hiding spot. A wave of dizziness hit her, as she reached out for the trashcan to steady herself.

"Woah, woah, are you okay?" Chase reached out to help.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled and shook it off. "I just got up too fast."

"That's all for that shot, but now we need some shots from inside the alley. This is going to be your close ups. Do the same thing, but instead of starting way down there, you can start from halfway down the block."

"Alright."

The crew shifted the equipment and camera into the alleyway for a different set up. Olivia ran through the scene from that angle a couple more times, nailing her emotions for the camera. The entire time, she felt off. Her stomach wasn't quite there, and running all over the place wasn't helping. They were shooting into the early morning hours that night, and Olivia hoped she could make it.

They finished that scene and moved onto another scene taking place at night. Her character was hanging out on the street by a bar. A drunk scumbag would come by and try to take her home with him. She would refuse, and then he would try to force herself on him. That is when Emma's character would enter, and fake crack a liquor bottle over his head.

Chase called action, and Olivia lit a fake, organic cigarette. After a minute of fake inhaling the cigarette, the actor approached her.

"Now what could a fine babe like you be doing out here all alone?"

"Fuck off."

"Ouch. Fiesty. The best kind in bed." The actor took a step closer and reached for her ass just like they practiced.

Olivia shoved him off and fake slapped him across the face. "Beat it."

"I'll show you, you little bitch." He approached again, this time they struggle. A couple seconds later, he falls to the ground, and Emma stands there with the jagged edge of a bottle in her hand.

"Thanks." Olivia nods.

"Come inside. Buy a drink." Emma waltzed confidently into the bar.

"Alright." Chase called out. "Let's do that again, but this time, Olivia and Brent need to spend a little bit longer in the struggle before Emma enters. Brent, really go in on her. Hold her hands out to the side against the building and go for her neck with your face, so we can still get her face in the shot. Count to 10 in your head Emma, then you can get him. Let's sweep these shards up, and do it again."

Olivia felt a new wave of nausea when she lit the second cigarette. Brent came up and spoke the words, and she tried to return the lines. A new wave of sweat formed on her face, and it wasn't because of the weather. Brent fake attacked her, pinning her to the wall, but her vision became clouded. She focused on keeping her feet beneath her, but the darkness closed in on her.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She went limp. She could feel Brent lower her to the ground, and cradle her head from the concrete. She could vaguely hear Chase yelling her name anxiously, and something cold touched her forehead.

Nothing pierced the darkness.

/

Olivia awoke in a sterile white room. The fluorescent light irritated her eyes. She squinted and tried to sit up. A sharp and painful tug in her arm halted her movements. _What the fuck?_ She was no longer in her costume, but in a light fabric. She was cold.

"Olivia?" Chase was sitting next to her.

She looked at him and realized he was holding her hand. She looked at the other arm. An IV poked gross needles into it.

"It's okay. You are in a hospital. You collapsed on set about an hour ago. I brought you in. The doctors told me to call them when you woke up. I'll be right back." He stood and went to the door. He poked his head out and waved a doctor down. He returned with a very tall woman with blonde hair down her back in a braid. She reminded Olivia of those overly attractive middle-aged actors in the medication commercials for blood pressure control.

The doctor shined a light in her eyes, checked her blood pressure, and IV bags. "Well, Ms. Pope. You took quite a spell earlier. Good news, you are going to be okay. I just need to ask you some questions. Do you want him to stay in here or do you want to speak in private?" She nodded towards Chase. Olivia nodded that he could stay.

"Okay then." She scribbled something on her clipboard.

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Do you drink?"

"Yes. A couple of glasses of wine per week. Nothing excessive."

"Do you have any family history of illnesses? Diabetes? High or low blood pressure? Cancers?"

"No."

"Are you comfortable with your body weight?"

"Yes."

"How many times do you exercise in the week?"

"When I'm home in Los Angeles, I go to the pool about three times a week. I usually try to run three miles at least once a week, but that depends on the weather."

"And how about while you have been in Atlanta?"

"I've been using the gym as much as my schedule will allow."

"How would you describe your diet?"

"Healthy. I've always watched what I eat. No fast food, and only sugars on occasion."

"When was the last time you menstruated?"

"Two weeks ago."

The doctor scribbled into her clipboard, and looked back at Olivia with kind eyes. She went to sit in the chair on the other side of Olivia.

"Could you tell me what you ate in the last twenty four hours?"

"Okay. Yesterday morning, I skipped breakfast—I didn't have time. For lunch I had a banana, and one of those protein smoothies. I took a long nap. Because I knew we would be shooting late, so I didn't eat dinner until about ten. For dinner I had a Caesar salad."

The doctor just wrote a little bit into her clipboard again. "Ms. Pope, is this a normal day for you?"

"Yeah, I guess. Without the abnormal sleep schedule."

"Ms. Pope, are you sure that you have no family history of any eating disorders?"

"Excuse me?" Olivia sat up in the bed,

Chase squeezed her hand, "I'll give you your privacy. I'll be right out in the hallway if you need me." He kissed her cheek before exiting.

"Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder?"

"No… I don't have an eating disorder, if that's what you are getting at."

"I'm not saying you have one. I wouldn't want to diagnose you without observing your habits over a period of time, but I would say that you are showing early signs of an eating disorder. Your blood pressure is alarmingly low, and you aren't getting the nutrients you need to perform your daily activities."

"What the hell?" Olivia felt heat rise in her.

"You are ten pounds underweight for what we would recommend for a woman your size."

"I'm just fit, it doesn't mean that—"

"I'm just telling you that you are showing early symptoms. Unfortunately with your small frame, the effects are more drastic. The good news is that it is easier to detect, and we can face it in its earlier stages before it turns into a full disorder."

"What do you mean?"

"You need to put your efforts into getting a higher calorie intake each day. Three full meals a day with snacking in between. I can prescribe some medication that will increase your appetite."

"Okay." Olivia nodded.

"The rest will be mental. I can recommend a therapist in Los Angeles for you to talk to. It could do nothing but help—just to have someone to talk to judgment free. Is that something you would be interested in?"

"Maybe." The thought of seeing a shrink was an off-put for Olivia.

"I'll give her a call, and let her know you might be interested."

"I'll think about it."

"Well, other than that." The doctor skimmed her clipboard. "You are free to go. I'll have a nurse bring by your clothes and discharge papers. The front desk will have your prescription."

"Thank you." Olivia smiled.

"I would recommend going home and going straight to bed. Take at least 24 hours off of work. Right now, you just need your rest."

The doctor gave her shoulder a kind pat before exiting. Chase reentered.

"They are going to release me, but I can't work for 24 more hours."

"That won't be a problem, we can schedule around it."

"Thank you."

Chase crossed to her bedside and took her hand in his. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Of course."

"If you ever need anything, I am here. Just let me know."

"Thank you, Chase. I will." She could see in his eyes that he meant it. "Could you get the word out to the crew that my blood pressure got low? I don't want rumors or anything getting out to the press—"

"Of course. I'll do whatever you want."

The nurse returned with her clothes and papers to remove the IV. Olivia wanted nothing more than to get home to her bed. She hated hospitals. Chase drove her back to the set to retrieve her car.

Once Olivia got to her apartment, she immediately prepared for bed. As she undressed, she looked at herself naked in the mirror. She noted how her hip bones did look more prominent, and her rib cage was distinguishable. The tears she had held in all night took control. She slid to the cold tile floor. She sat there, crying endless sobs. She finally wiped her tears and reached for her cell phone. It was 4 am and 1 am on the west coast, but she still dialed his number. On the fourth ring, Fitz picked up.

"Hello?" His voice was groggy, like he just woke up.

"Hi."

"What's up?" He said casually, like it wasn't early in the morning.

It brought a smile to her face despite her tears. "I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Liv, what's wrong?" He immediately picked up on her tone and thinly veiled tears.

"I miss you."

"Four more days, then you can come home. You are in the final stretch. Just four more days, then you can come home."

"I know. I just…" For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to tell him about her hospital visit. "Talk to me. Tell me about your day or something."

Fitz could hear that there was something deeper bothering her, but he didn't ask. She would tell him when she was ready. "Okay, well, let's see. Yesterday I went to USC's campus to sit in on one of the classes. Their cinematic arts school has gotten a hold of some new tech, and I wanted to go check it out. We might use it in our film. It's a special tri-fold lens. Do you want to hear about it?"

"Yes, please."

As Fitz went into detail about the complicated new lens, Olivia felt herself getting exhausted. She put on her nightgown and crawled beneath her thick down comforter.

"Thank you, Fitz." She spoke into the phone, stifling her yawn.

"I love you." He replied. "Next time you want to talk about the fascinating world of film nerd talk, just call. I'm here for you."

She appreciated his humor even at her exhausted state. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Four more days."

"Four more."

"Goodbye. I love you."

"You already said that. But for the record—in case I haven't already said it enough—I love you too. Now get some sleep."

/

Olivia woke up around noon famished. She searched her cabinets, but found next to nothing—given her lack of cooking. She decided to go to a café down the street. She ordered a Panini, and settled into an empty booth.

A TV hung on the wall opposite of her. She thought it took away from the quaint atmosphere of the restaurant, but she watched the headlines scroll across the screen nonetheless. The news anchors switched from a fluff story about an elderly woman devoting her retirement to feeding the homeless to breaking news.

 _BREAKING NEWS: JURY INDICTS ATLANTA COP INVOLVED IN SHOOTING OF UNARMED BLACK TEEN._

Olivia watched as the cameras captured Officer Ballard being led out of the police station in handcuffs. Her gut clenched as she saw the barely there expression of smugness on his face. They switched to a press conference being held by the prosecutor on the case. She watched the woman handle the cutthroat press with grace and ease. She apologized for the delay in decision, but promised that Officer Ballard would be treated like any normal civilian with no special preference. Olivia made a mental note to reach out to her and compliment her work.

She pulled her cell phone out and dialed Chase.

"Hey." Chase answered on the second ring. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Better than fine, actually. Have you heard the news?"

"No, what news?"

"They indicted Officer Ballard. He's being charged!"

"That's fantastic."

"Yeah. I'm really glad. The prosecutor seems to be down for business. I think she will get us justice."

Olivia watched the replayed videos of Ballard being led out of the police station in cuffs. She suddenly felt antsy.

"I can come in today, if you want. I'm ready to get back to work."

"No way."

"Chase, come on."

"Liv, the doctor said—"

"I don't want to hold back the set. We are so close to being done."

"Liv, I'm not—"

"It just doesn't make sense for me to sit at home twiddling my thumbs."

"Liv—"

"I'm good. I promise. You don't have to worry about me."

She heard his deep sigh on the end of the line. "I swear, you are killing me. We are at the Hillman Hotel shooting, scene 28.05. Come, and maybe we can fit your lines in."

"Thank you. I'll be right down." She quickly finished her lunch, buying a brownie for Chase and then heading to the set.

Work was necessary to occupy her mind. She threw herself into the work, acting like nothing ever happened. She felt bad for holding the schedule back last night. Everyone was ready to wrap it up, and she wanted it just as much. She missed Los Angeles. She missed the ocean. She missed her bed. She missed Fitz.

/

Fitz sat in his meeting with the costume designers for his film. They were running through sketches of outfits and swatches of fabric. His mind was anywhere but on the squares of polyester and cotton being passed in front of him.

"So, Fitz. What do you think?"

"Sorry?" Fitz snapped out of his day dream.

The costume designer pointed to the sketch.

"Oh, uh, let's try muting the pink. I don't want it to be hogging all of the attention. But other than that, I like the rest. Good work. I'll have the schedule for measurements sent to you so you can work with it on your own."

He closed his binder and walked out of the conference room. "Andy, have you been out to scout that bluff in Malibu yet?"

"No, it rained last week so I couldn't get on the dirt road, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I'll go check it out today. I could use the drive. You're sure they said we could use it, right?"

"Yeah. I got the paperwork filed with the Department of State Parks last week. Do you want me to come along?"

"No, it's fine. Just send that schedule to Rhonda. Oh, and if my realtor calls, give him my cell number."

"Yeah, no problem."

"Thanks. I won't be back today, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright. See ya."

Fitz pulled out onto the Pacific Coast Highway. It was beautiful outside, so he rolled his windows down. This was the type of day he would want to spend with Olivia, doing whatever she wanted to do. He thought about their strange conversation on the phone early that morning. It pained him that he couldn't be there to find out what was wrong and fix it.

He pulled over to the side of the road and ordered some peonies to be delivered to her apartment that night.

He continued his drive to the location. He passed the road to their private place on the beach. He wondered how many other couples—if any at all—had found it and claimed it as their own.

He thought of the night after the Oscars, when they ditched the after parties and Olivia surprised him by taking them there.

 _"I'm going to marry you one day, Livvie." He whispered into her ear, holding her from behind and looking at the full moon reflecting off of the waves_

 _"Fitz…" Olivia moved out of his arms. Heavy moments passed._

 _"Liv, say something." He didn't take a step towards her, but he prayed he would turn around and face him. "Tell me what you are thinking, because I just told you what I was thinking."_

 _"I love you." She turned around_

 _"I know that." She took his hand in hers._

 _"And that is all that I can offer at this moment." She looked at his large hands clasped around hers._

 _"Okay." Fitz brought his other hand to her cheek and pulled her closer until their noses were practically touching. "Then that is enough for me." He kissed her nose._

" _Thank you."_

That night still puzzled him. Was it that he was thinking too fast at that point in their relationship? They had only been reunited for a couple weeks. They had come a long way since then, yet he still felt the same way. He also had figured out the dynamic of their relationship. He would always be the one diving in head first, guns blazing, and Olivia would always be tiptoeing behind him, checking for any wires or traps. They were a good balance.

He reached the bluff and took a selection of pictures to show the rest of the crew. As he was getting back into his car, his cell phone rang.

"Fitz Grant."

"We have our first offer!" It was his realtor. After returning from New York, he wasted no time getting his house on the market. The sprawling fifteen million dollar Beverly Hills estate had multiple interested visitors, but nobody made an offer yet.

"Really? That quick?"

"Yeah. They want it for twelve, and I know it is three million less than—"

"I'll take it."

"Great! When would be best for me to bring by the papers?"

"Are you still at the house? Are they still there?"

"Yeah, do you want to talk to them?"

"I'm about thirty minutes away, I can drop by. We can get this all over with, if they don't mind."

"Hold on… No, they don't. Come on by, we can wait."

"Awesome. I'll see you in a little bit."

He drove straight to the estate. The buyers were a retired Fortune 500 CEO and his wife, looking for a place to settle with room for visits from his grandkids. Fitz was eager to sign the paperwork, and get it over to him as soon as possible. It wasn't that he didn't like the place, he just wanted to move on and let someone else enjoy it. He was confident that the couple would take tender care of the place.

Fitz promised to have his stuff moved out within four weeks, and bid them good luck.

He walked through each room, recounting memories of his childhood. Being an only child, the six bedrooms were never full, but he filled the house with his friends. Being the rich, handsome son of a famous director meant that the halls were never empty—be it his school friends or the girls he was trying to get score.

He peeped in his room, thinking about the first time he made love to Olivia. How perfect and exciting it all was. Then, the next morning when Mellie walked in on them, embarrassing Olivia to no end. They still laughed about it, and teased her.

He moved on to the other wing where his father used to sleep. When he died, Fitz had all of his stuff donated and thrown out, except for a box of stuff he wanted to keep. He pulled the box out from the closet and opened it. It was full of photo albums his mother kept and vintage mementos.

He pulled out a velvet box and opened it. His mother's engagement ring and wedding band shined back at him. It was beautiful—no doubt worth a fortune, even back in the day. It was a round diamond with tiny sapphires, emeralds, and rubies radiating in layers away from it. Very majestic and antiquely. He could never imagine Olivia wearing it. Her style was too modern. He looked at the diamonds, still in pristine quality.

Olivia was a lot like his mother. Both were the incredibly smart and hard working. Olivia had the same internal elegance that couldn't be bought with money. He pocketed the ring and left to go home.

A store front caught his eye, as he pulled off of the road and into its parking lot. He walked through the elegant doorway into the cool, welcoming A/C. A bespectacled man in a suit behind the counter greeted him.

"Hello, sir. How may we help you?"

Fitz pulled his mother's ring out of his pocket. "I would like to propose to my girlfriend."

/

Olivia flipped the lights on to her apartment. She was exhausted from working that day, and starving from her medication. She dialed for delivery takeout and lied down on her couch. The second her head hit a decorative pillow, her doorbell rang. Groaning she went to answer the door.

She opened the door to find a van driving down the street already. She almost rolled her eyes at whatever attempt at a ding dong ditch that was, until she noticed the huge arrangement of peonies at her feet. She brought them inside, and found the card attached.

 _Three more days._

He didn't even have to sign his name, for her to know exactly what he meant. She pulled her phone out to call him. He answered immediately

"Hi, beautiful."

"Thank you." Olivia couldn't stop smiling as she set the arrangement on the dining table. "I was trying my hardest to have a bad day, but you just wouldn't let me. They are beautiful."

"You are welcome, love. How was work today?"

"Okay. I wasn't supposed to go in today, but I did anyways. I'm just ready to get this over with. However, I did receive some great news…"

"Well, please share."

"They are charging the officer who shot Keilon Williams."

"That's fantastic. You are really making a difference over there."

"It's not just me. Chase is going crazy trying to shoot the documentary _and_ film, though. I'm trying to keep him sane, but I know he loves it. How was your day?"

"I got an offer on the house, and I'm taking it. I've got a month to move out, and that's that."

"Wow. That was abrupt. So you are moving full time to your condo?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to do with all of that stuff? You can't put it all in the condo."

"I'm going to have an estate sale, then donate the rest. Most of it was my father's, and I have no use for it."

"I've got a lot of extra room at my house, in case you need to store anything there."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

They stayed on the phone, talking about everything and nothing, until finally they said their goodnights.

* * *

 **So Fitz is looking at the rings...** **I promise to reunite them soon, but in the meantime, leave your reviews below!**


	25. No Angel

No Angel—Beyoncé

Baby put your arms around me  
Tell me I'm a problem  
Know I'm not the girl you thought you knew and that you wanted  
Underneath the pretty face is something complicated  
I come with a side of trouble  
But I know that's why you're staying…  
…No I'm not an angel either but at least I'm trying

* * *

Olivia held her breath as she slowly shut the door, silently. She was a mere twenty feet from Fitz, and he had no idea. As she tiptoed across his carpeted office, she observed him in his alone time. He had his feet propped up on the window sill, facing the view, reading his script. His _Movie Scores_ Pandora playlist played off of his desk speakers, drowning out the noise of Olivia's entrance.

She hesitated as she reached the edge of his desk, unsure of how she wanted to cash in on this moment of surprise. She unbuttoned the top couple of buttons on her white button down, to where her bralette was barely peeking out.

Acting fast and swift, she grabbed his newspaper, swung her leg over his so she was straddling him, and moved his hands to her ass.

"Hi, baby." She smiled as he stared at her in disbelief.

"What the—you weren't supposed to get in until late tonight."

"I know, but the flight was overbooked, so I got bumped up." She finally let a giggle escape her at the surprise on Fitz's face.

He ran his hands up and down her sides and legs, as if he was confirming that she was actually there. His eyes settled on her teasing breasts before going back to her face. He took her cheek in his hand, pulling her down for what he had been missing for an entire month.

Their kiss was soft and amazing. Olivia couldn't stop the moan escaping her as she leaned in, arching her back, and driving her tongue into his mouth.

They broke the kiss, and Olivia buried her face in his neck. "God, I've missed the way you smell."

"I've missed so many things about you." His hands felt so good on her body.

Just as Olivia brought her lips back to his, an interruptive knock sounded out from his door.

"Fuck." Olivia muttered as she climbed off of his lap and buttoned her shirt back up. She stepped a couple of feet away from him, and ran her fingers through her hair, as if to erase any visible arousal from her face.

Fitz chuckled at her routine. "Come in."

Angelina Jolie walked through the door, with a folder in her hand. _Goddammit, she is just as pretty in real life as on the screen_. Olivia thought.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt."

"Nonsense. Come in."

Fitz introduced the two to each other, before Olivia gathered her things.

"I'll let you get back to work. Dinner at my place tonight." She pecked Fitz on the lips, before turning to Angelina, "It was very nice to meet you."

"Yes, the same."

Olivia exited, driving back to her apartment. It was already late afternoon, so Olivia sent Fitz telling him that dinner would be ready at seven. She ordered from a restaurant to be picked up, and finished unpacking her bags. By the time Fitz was supposed to be there, she had an entire spread of food set out, and a playlist playing at a mellow volume.

"Honey, I'm home." She heard Fitz call with a kidding tone as he entered her house. She met him walking through the door, as he picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Their mouths collided, playing the familiar but never dull dance. One month apart made them horny for one another like nothing else. When she felt them getting carried away, Olivia had to pull back and climb out of his arms.

"Come on, let's eat." She took his hand and led him to the table. Fitz groaned comically and followed her to the dining room.

"Wow. Now, I know you didn't cook any of this." Fitz joked with a wink.

"Shut up. It's from Palermo's." She rolled her eyes in good nature.

They sat down and ate, splitting a bottle of red wine. Olivia was starving from traveling all day, but she couldn't ignore the sexual tension in the room. Her body was practically aching for his touch. She watched his arms as he ate. His biceps naturally stretching with every move.

He caught her lustful gaze and couldn't stop the boyish smirk that came across his face. "What? Are you ready for desert already?"

Olivia stood, wordlessly gathering their plates and taking them to the kitchen. She set them down in the sink to soak. Fitz silently came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and overpowering her senses.

Her head fell back into his chest, and her breathing deepened as he ran his hands across her breasts and belly. "Tell me where I can take you." His hand slid down to cup her pussy through her jeans. "God, just tell me where."

Olivia whirled around before her knees could buckle and launched an assault on his lips, desperate to taste him. She unbuckled her jeans and shrugged them off, as Fitz did the same. She slid her lace panties down as she hopped onto the counter. She spread her legs, exposing herself to him, and slowly undid the buttons of her shirt.

"Here. I want you to take me here." Her eyes were wide and dark with lust, tempting him.

Fitz teased her clit with his fingers until she was practically mewing with pleasure. He finally took his dick in his hand and entered past her slick folds. They both groaned out loud at the sensation. Olivia's head fell to his shoulder, as she desperately clawed at his shirt to gain some contact. Fitz put his arm behind her head to cushion her from the cabinets as he picked up speed, pummeling into her pussy with the right angle to hit all of her spots.

Olivia squeezed his ass, pulling him deeper and deeper into her. She was so close, and Fitz could feel it. He softly bit her bottom lip and fingered her clit.

"Oh, fuck. I'm, I'm—"

"What, Livvie, What?" Fitz kissed her forehead glistening with sweat.

"I'm gonna co—gonna come." With that, she unraveled, her walls clenching around him. Olivia felt too good to him. He followed, spilling into her and mumbling her name over and over in a haze.

"Hi." Olivia whispered, bringing his love filled gaze to hers.

"Hi." Fitz pulled out, sweeping her into a bridal carry, and carrying her to the bedroom. He laid her down gently in between the sheets, and joined her.

They laid, face to face. A grin broke out on Olivia's face, spreading from cheek to cheek. She quickly tried to suppress it, biting the inside of her cheeks, but it didn't work.

"What?"

"I don't know… I'm just so happy right now. Here with you." She rubbed her foot up and down his calf and ran her hand through his hair. They spent the rest of the evening, just _being_. They never raised their voices above a whisper. They never moved unless it was to touch one another.

Fitz couldn't help but be overcome with the feeling of certainty. He _knew_ that Olivia was who he would spend the rest of his life with. He probably always knew it, but now he was one hundred percent ready to take some action to it.

He pulled her closer so that she was nuzzled beneath his chin. Olivia couldn't help but inhale his after sex smell. She closed her eyes and fell into the best sleep she'd had in a long time.

/

Olivia woke up disoriented. It was so unlike her to sleep in like that. She surveyed her surroundings. The bed sheets were twisted around her, but she was alone. She heard the shower running from the bathroom. She entered quietly, noting Fitz's muscular for from behind.

 _Will he ever not look like a Greek god sculpture?_ Olivia wondered.

She stepped in behind him, running her hands over his shoulders. "Good morning, babe."

"Good morning." He turned around and kissed her on her mouth. Shampoo ran down his forehead, so he stuck his head under the stream.

"How dare you try to shower without me? I'm so hurt." Olivia drew a hand to her heart in mock pain.

"I knew I shouldn't have fallen in love with such a drama queen." He pulled her under the water with him.

"Fitz!" Olivia exclaimed as the water wet her hair.

"Sorry." Fitz smirked as he leaned down to kiss the half assed anger off of her face. "What were you planning on doing in a shower that didn't involve water anyways?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Olivia raised an eyebrow as she reached for the soap and loofah.

"Yes. I would." Fitz raised his eyebrow back at her.

"Well, I could show you better." Olivia set the soap back and put her hands low on his hips and leaned on her tiptoes to whisper her lips against his. "But I wouldn't want to make you late or anything, working man."

Olivia patted his chest and stepped back to leave the shower, but he grabbed her wrists, pulling her back against him.

"There are certain perks to being your own boss." Fitz growled as he slid down to his knees. He threw Olivia's leg over his shoulder.

Olivia took a deep breath and let her head fall back to the cool tile as she prepared herself for the intense pleasure she was about to feel.

/

 **A FEW DAYS LATER**

Fitz slid his items across the scanner and into the paper bags. He just needed to make a quick stop by a store to refill some of his toiletries. As he tossed his deodorant into the bag with the rest of his stuff, one of the gaudy headlines on the tabloid magazines caught his eye.

He usually wouldn't ever even glance at the disgusting headlines, but one of the pictures in the corner was of Olivia. Amused, and knowing that only about 5% of them were ever true, he peeked at the headline.

 _Pressures of Hollywood too much for Olivia Pope? Starlet collapses on film set. More details inside._

He rolled his eyes and paid for his goods, before driving home. He agreed to meet Olivia at the pool that night for a swim. Even though he knew that the night would end with him distracting her from her workout he couldn't help himself. Those white one pieces she wore were torture.

When he entered the pool room, he could see Olivia was already well into her routine. Other than a group of elderly ladies doing therapeutic exercises, she was the only one in the pool. He sat at the edge of her lane, waiting for her to return to the wall.

"Hi." She surfaced with a slightly out of breath smile. She pushed up off the wall, raising herself to him

"Hi." Fitz leaned down to give her a brief kiss. Even with the inevitable taste of chlorine, her kisses were the greatest thing in the world to him.

He slid into the lane next to her, beginning his warm up. Swimming was never something he viewed much as a workout. It seemed so easy, until he met Olivia. She made it look so simple, but when he tried to keep up with her, he found himself with a nose full of chlorine and aching lungs. It wasn't like he didn't devote a portion of his life to the gym to keep his shape up, it was just a different workout that he was willing to pursue if it meant he could spend an hour or two next to her in a swimsuit.

He could also see what swimming meant to Olivia. She had the tendency to over think and dwell on whatever was going on in her complex mind. Swimming was an outlet to work all of those problems out. Every time she climbed out of the pool, her spirit was lighter and calmer. It was her therapy.

As Fit began to get bored—like he always did—he decided they had both had enough of the water. He waited until she had splashed past him before slipping under the lane rope and catching her as she sprung off of the wall.

"Fitz, I have three more laps of this 500." She wrapped her legs around his waist, as if she didn't care about those final three laps.

"No you don't."

"I don't?" She laughed at the smug look on his face.

"You don't." Fitz kicked to the wall, where he supported himself, pinning her against the tile.

Olivia pulled her goggles off, setting them on the ground, so she could look Fitz clearly in the eyes.

He pressed her closer to the wall. There was now no room between them.

"I bet there is nobody in the women's showers…" Fitz barely whispered against her cheek.

Olivia's eyes widened as she understood what he was saying.

"You could go in and then two minutes later, I could _accidentally_ walk into the wrong one…"

Olivia glanced at the older women engrossed into their elementary joint relieving aerobics. She looked back to Fitz's crystal blue eyes. He was seducing her, and they both knew it. He palmed her thigh, slipping his thumb underneath the tight fabric of her swimsuit.

" _Five minutes_." She pulled her goggles back onto her ace and slipped out of his arms to the other side of the pool, where she gathered her things and dried off.

Fitz watched with a smirk as she winked, barely blushing, before disappearing around the corner into the women's locker room. He swam a couple more laps before climbing out of the pool and following her.

He found her in the only running shower. When he slipped into the shower stall, she was waiting for him completely naked. The sight of her exposed body never failed to take his breath away. She stood there, completely exposed with the slightest curve of her lips as if she was amused by the out of breath state of him every time he saw her like that.

" _hi."_ She mouthed, not daring to speak.

" _hi."_ he mouthed back as he crossed the tiny shower cell to her. They collided, kissing and sucking on any available skin. Olivia hiked her leg up on his waist, letting him know what was on her mind.

He turned her around to where she was facing the tiled wall He was kissing her neck, ear, shoulder. He dismissed his swim trunks and lined up with her entrance. She arched her back and braced herself against the wall, preparing herself for the sensation to come.

Fitz slid in, pushing to where he was to the hilt. The second he was entirely buried, they heard the door open. A string of elderly ladies entered and assumed their post-aerobic showers.

They froze, tensing up at the intrusion and complicated spot they were in. Olivia drew an embarrassed hand to her mouth as she pushed Fitz off and turned the shower head on behind them so, it wouldn't be obvious. Fitz's head obviously towered over the stalls with his six foot two frame. Olivia pulled his head down

"Eloise, how did you say Barry's back surgery went?"

"Oh, it went, alright. Personally, I think he is milking it for all that he can. He's just using it as an excuse to lie around and not do _shit!_ He is as useless as ever."

"Oh, I know that old tune. Jim pulled that same behavior after he had his liver removed. The he tried to pop a beer open for the next dodgers game!"

"Well, at least the grand kids are with us for the summer. They love to cater to his every need. _Grandpa, do you want another soda? Do you want another blanket? How about lunch? We'll bring your sandwich to you. Don't worry._ He takes so much advantage of those darlings."

Fitz almost laughed out loud, but Olivia clamped her hand over his mouth and shot him a death stare. There was nothing they could do but duck and hope that the women stay oblivious to the occupied stall with four feet at the bottom.

"Alright, Nancy. I guess I'll see you later."

"Bye ladies."

"Bye."

Olivia waited until she heard the final one file out. She exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding, and Fitz finally let his pent up laugh out a little too strong.

"Fitz!" She hissed as her hand flew back to his mouth.

"Okay. Okay, I'm good." He whispered until she withdrew her hand.

They stood there, unsure what to do, before they both burst into laughter, borderline tears.

"Okay, okay okay." Olivia bowed her head to his chest to contain herself, pressing her palms against his chest. "Go. I'll meet you in the lobby."

"Alright. So much for steamy sex in a public locker room."

" _Go._ " Olivia peeked her head out of the stall to ensure the absence of anybody before pushing him out of the locker room.

/

Olivia still couldn't stop blushing at what happened. They laying, entangled on the couch, massaging each other's feet. The news was on, but neither one of them was paying attention.

"So much for our fantasy of steamy sex in a public place."

"I'm sorry that all of the talk about Barry's back problems pulled me out of the mood." Olivia moaned in content as Fitz pressed a sensitive spot on the arch of her foot.

"Poor Eloise, dealing with that lazy bum." Fitz sighed in mock sympathy and winked.

"Can you imagine the headline it would cause if we were caught? I don't think I could ever live that down." Olivia laughed, imagining the field day twitter would have with the news.

Fitz laughed along, switching to her other foot. "Speaking of headlines, I saw the craziest one about you today. I'm pretty sure it was in the Enquirer or something, but it said you collapsed on set or something. I wonder if all of their writers have degrees in creative writing or something, because it was ridiculous."

Olivia tensed up, halting her hands on his feet. Her eyes flashed at Fitz before looking away.

"Liv?" He knew something was up. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

She didn't reply or even look up, but she pulled her feet out of his grasp and sat crisscrossed. The only thing that could come to her mind was a string of cuss words directed at herself and the stupid magazine.

"Was that story telling any truth?" Fitz sat up and scooted closer to her.

"I, uh, I… Yes." She nodded, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at the hurt in his face. She kept her hands folded in her lap and her gaze fixed upon them. "You are mad, and you should be, but let me explain."

"How about you start from the beginning."

"The last week of shooting, we were shooting early in the morning for some night scenes, and I wasn't feeling well. I passed out. It wasn't that big of a deal, but Chase took me to the hospital." She paused, trying to find out how to reveal the rest. "The doctor told me I was underweight and showing signs of a… uh, an eating disorder." Her eyes flashed up to his, full of fear and hurt.

"Olivia…" Fitz's face was tense and unreadable.

"She didn't _diagnose_ me, it was more of a warning. I don't have a disorder, I just got a little too carried away with the dieting for the role. _I'm fine._ I've been taking the medication she prescribed to me and focusing on consuming more calories."

Fitz stood and walked over to the fireplace, leaning his head against the cool marble. His voice was low and strained, "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

Olivia winced at the pain in his voice. "That morning that I called you for no reason, upset, was that night. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything. I didn't want to bother you or…"

"Bother me? Liv, what the fuck." Fitz turned around. "You do know how this works, right? A relationship?"

"Don't patronize me."

"A relationship, which from my understanding is what we are currently participating in, is supposed to be run on honesty and trust. For better or worse, you come to me with your problems and I come to you with mine." Fitz ran a stressed hand through his curls. Here he was prepared to give her the rest of his life in a wedding vow, and she couldn't be honest with him. He felt sick to his stomach, but he still was worried about Olivia. No matter how mad he could ever get with her, he would always put her health and safety first.

"I'm sorry." Olivia rose from the couch and crossed the room to him. She put a hand to his cheek, making him look down at her. "You have every right to be mad, and I'm sorry. I just… It hurt to admit out loud to someone that I was broken. It is all pride and fear and…"

Olivia went on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. He was unresponsive as she pressed her tender skin to his. "Please, baby. Forgive me. It's fucked up, I know, but I'm sorry."

Fitz felt a tear roll down her cheek and fall on his. With that, he couldn't hold back. He was angry. So angry and hurt, like a stab to his heart, but he couldn't not forgive her while she was so open to him and vulnerable. He kissed her back, wiping her tears with his thumb and giving her the physical comfort she needed.

"Olivia, you can't do this anymore. You can't hide parts of you from me. I love you, and I love every aspect of you, including your flaws. But nothing hurts me more than you hiding from me. If you have a problem, tell me about it and we will deal with it together. Don't make me find out through some shitty magazine along with the rest of the country."

"Okay. I'm sorry." Olivia sniffed, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes.

"I forgive you." Fitz pulled her body flat against his in a big hug. "Come on, let's make some tea and I want you to tell me everything."

They sat back down on the couch, and Olivia recounted every single detail of that night and how she had dealt with it since. She included that she was already five pounds up and doing much better.

"I'm thinking of taking a break from acting for a bit." Olivia twisted her infinity ring around her finger absentmindedly.

"Really? But you love acting, and you are at the top of your career."

"I do, I just think I need a break. I've got press for the rom com I did earlier this year coming up, then the festival route with Chase, probably Sundance in the winter or something, maybe even Cannes if we are patient. I just don't feel a drive to pursue a new project right now. I'm kind of exhausted."

"If that's what you feel is necessary for you, then do it." Fitz kissed her forehead.

"But I also don't want to sit around and do nothing, you know? I don't care to travel, because that is more time spent away from you. Maybe I'll take some classes or something. I used to fantasize about being an academic and getting a master's or something."

"You can accomplish whatever you want, and I will support you… with one condition."

"What?" Perplexed, Olivia shot him a confused look.

"Whatever you do, don't you dare think of attending UCLA. I won't allow it."

Olivia giggled at the rivalry he would never let go of from his USC alma mater.

"I'm serious. You've spent too many nights sleeping in a crimson and gold t shirt to fit in there. Plus I would have to disown you, and I don't want to have to do that."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. But then again, maybe USC isn't such a good idea because, well, the twenty one year old Fitz Grant probably didn't leave a pleasant memory with most of the administration there. They are going to assume you are guilty by association."

"And how did that happen?"

"Let's just say we caused a couple headaches to the President when he woke up with a kidnapped Bruins sculpture in his front yard."

"Fitz, you didn't!"

"I didn't…personally…but I was one of the Pi Kappa Phis that had to write an apology."

"I can't believe you were that stupid." Olivia playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

"I was twenty one! All is fair in love and war." Fitz shrugged.

"I was twenty two when I met you, and I had never defaced public property." Olivia puffed her chest out.

"Yeah, well you were also way too mature for your age. You looked eighteen, but acted like you were thirty."

"Are you saying I was boring?"

"No, just mature. It is what attracted me to you in the beginning. How professional and put together you were."

"Oh. Thank you."

"Anytime I can boost your pretty little ego, I am glad to."

Olivia got quiet. She kissed his jaw and hugged him tighter. "I know our love isn't as pretty as it should be. We fight and make mistakes, but then we are so brilliant together otherwise, you know?"

"Yes, I know."

"I just hope that we never give up. I don't ever want to decide that the fights aren't worth the cuddles… or busted sex in the locker room."

"Never." Fitz kissed her lips, letting them linger before pulling back. "They will never claim what we have here."


	26. Tiny Vessels

**First off, I want to apologize for the delay. Life got pretty hectic over these last couple of weeks, and unfortunately, writing comes second to work and school.**

 **Secondly, I just want to shout out the fact that this story has reached 100k words. That was my goal, starting out. There were many times that I was sure I would run out of ideas or motivation, but you guys kept me on track. I am far from being done with this story (which is the crazy part for me).** **So this is just a massive _thank you_ for inspiring me and keeping me motivated. This has been the craziest learning experience of a hobby.**

 **Now, let's get on with chapter no. 26**

Tiny Vessels—Death Cab For Cutie

This is the moment that you know  
That you told you loved her but you don't.  
You touch her skin and then you think  
That she is beautiful but she don't mean a thing to me.  
Yeah, she is beautiful, but she don't mean a thing to me.

* * *

 **A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER**

"Hi, stranger."

Olivia jerked awake to find a familiar red head smiling back at her. She popped up from the couch that she was taking a power nap on.

"Abbey! Geez, it has been a while." Olivia pulled her in for a hug. "Do you think you could've cut it any closer to the deadline?" Olivia joked at Abbey's late presence.

The press circuit had officially begun for their movie. That included countless radio shows, television talk shows, magazine interviews, seeing their faces on billboards on the interstate and on every commercial break on the TV. They were about to do a photoshoot and interview for _Entertainment Weekly_ , and Abbey was just getting there five minutes before they were supposed to begin.

"Blame it on the accident on I-10. I was at a standstill for thirty minutes…" Abbey stilled as the makeup artist began to quickly apply her makeup. "Wow, Liv. You are looking great. Winning an Oscar agrees with you."

"So do you. I heard you joined a theater production downtown. How has that been? I meant to make it to a show, but I was in Atlanta. I read your reviews though."

Abbey rolled her eyes, "It was a learning experience. Learning experience meaning I learned that I never want to do theater again. I was so exhausted each night, I think I slept ten hours after every show."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh with Abbey. She missed having a girl friend around. "It is a different pacing. I'm glad I did it in college, because I don't think I have the stamina for a lead role anymore."

"So, we have to catch up! After the L.A. premiere next week, I'm hosting a small party at my house. I meant to invite you earlier, but I wanted to do it in person."

"Alright, Ladies. Whenever you are ready, come out." An intern poked her head into their dressing room briefly before disappearing.

"Bring Fitz. It'll just be a couple of people. Say you'll come."

"Alright, I'll see if we can make it."

"There is someone I would like to introduce you to there." An uncontainable smile crept across her lips.

"Uh-oh. That look on your face." Olivia leaned against the vanity counter and crossed her arms. "Who is he?"

"A lawyer."

"Nice. Tell me more."

"I met him at a party. God, he was so persistent, it was almost annoying. But he is also hilarious, so I decided to give him a chance. Anyways, that was two weeks ago, and we just…click. It's weird."

"Well, are you going to tell me his name?"

"He's actually L.A. County's District Attorney. His name is David Rosen."

"Small world." Olivia burst into laughter. "I actually know him."

"Really? How?"

"Well, I have never met him, but he helped me out a while back We have a mutual friend. He's a good guy. Very trustworthy."

"Good to know that he comes highly recommended. I haven't gotten around to his background check, so I was worried." Abbey chuckled.

The makeup artist finished, and Abbey quickly changed into her outfit.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

/

Olivia missed being the princess of the evening. She kind of missed being pampered and beautified by her team of stylists. She didn't particularly like the actual red carpet and dogged reporters, but she loved the glamming up of the evening and the fashion opportunities. She knew that it wasn't why she pursued acting, but after months of rigorous, gritty filming, she was looking forward to the Los Angeles premiere for her movie with Abbey. And after that, she would fly to New York City, London, and Paris for subsequent premiers.

It was a sweet deal playing the supporting best friend in the movie. She got to hang back at all of the press ops. She was there, just not the center of attention. Noted, but not nitpicked. Walking the red carpet was also infinitely better with Fitz on her arm. He was well into filming his project, which meant long days and short nights. It also meant that they had barely seen each other. Olivia knew when to give him his creative space, knowing that he needed to focus all of his energy to his work. But this was one of the only nights they would have together, with her flying around the world for the international tour of the film. She was more than grateful to have him with her tonight.

From a rack full of the latest designer collections, Olivia opted for a very feminine, crisp white Prada pants suit with a lace La Perla bralette peeping beneath the jacket. Her hair was straight, with the top pinned back. Her hair was getting long, but she had no interest in cutting it any time soon. Especially with no upcoming projects to worry about.

Her team put the final touches on her outfit and packed up their belongings. Fitz rang her doorbell, reminding her of a polite, but nervous prom date coming to pick her up.

"Hi." Fitz was leaning against the door frame in a navy blue suit with the shirt unbuttoned a couple buttons. He had a bouquet of lilies in his hand. His eyes shamelessly wandered all over her body, settling on her cleavage.

"Hi." Olivia motioned for him to come inside as she welcomed his lips on hers.

"You look beautiful." Fitz whispered as he brushed his lips against her cheek.

"Thank you." Olivia smiled as she ran her fingers across the lapels of his jacket. "This is nice. Is it new?" She took the

"Yeah, I just picked it up from the tailor this morning."

"I like it." Olivia went on her tiptoes to kiss him. "And I like you in it."

"These are for you." Fitz held out the flowers.

"Good. I was beginning to think you got them for Hal." Olivia winked as she took them to the kitchen to find a vase.

"Speaking of Hal, what time is he getting here?"

"In about thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes, eh?" Fitz smirked as he undid her jacket button and ran his hands around her bare back, causing her to shiver.

"Fitz…" Olivia giggled as she backed up against the wall, pulling him against her. "You better not mess anything up."

"I can be careful." Fitz smirked as he softly brought his lips to hers. His arm wrapped around her back and pulled her as close to him as possible. They enjoyed their soft, careful kisses, until the doorbell rang. It was Hal with the car waiting.

/

Olivia hadn't been on the red carpet since the Oscars. The cameras were more than excited to snap her presence in a ravenous way. She and Fitz spent their time taking individual pictures and couple pictures, as well as pictures with the cast and various celebrities invited to the carpet. Olivia did her obligatory interviews along the way, and politely mingled on the carpet.

Finally, they were seated in the theater's plush front row seats. Fitz could tell that Olivia was getting nervous. This was the first time this film was being premiered beyond small focus groups. Even though it was just a small comedy role and the film was far from riding on her shoulders, she was still putting herself out there.

Fitz offered his hand to her, which she took into her lap, squeezing it in her hands. "It's going to be great. Relax." He whispered in her ear to where she could only hear.

"Easier said than done." Olivia smiled as she squeezed his hand again. A producer came onto the stage with an introduction and then the lights went down to an excited rumble of claps and cheers.

The next two hours were filled with uncontrollable laughter and peppered with heartwarming moments. With every scene of Olivia's, Fitz found his hand being squeezed tighter and tighter. She was on edge, taking in every audience reaction. Yet, despite her fears, Olivia proved to be a natural comic and the movie was an overall success.

At the end of the movie, the cast was brought on stage for a round of applause. Then it was time for everyone to go home. Fitz stood Olivia's side as countless people came up to compliment her.

Finally, they shared a moment of peace as Hal shut the car door behind Olivia, and stepped into the driver's seat. The noisy outside was muted. Olivia gave Hal the address of Abbey's house and rolled the partition up.

The second the thick divider was completely up, she slid across the middle seat so that she was pressed up against Fitz's side.

"Thank you for coming to this for me."

"I wouldn't miss it, Livvie. I'll always be here for things like this."

"I know, but you didn't _have_ to. I know how hectic your schedule is right now. You shot footage this morning and then you have to go back early tomorrow morning." She brought a hand to his cheek and pulled his mouth to hers and ghosted her lips over his. "These things are very stressful for me, and you being there with me makes it all better. It means a lot to me. Thank you."

"You are welcome." Fitz kissed her back just gently. "I will always show up for you and your career."

Olivia settled into his side with his arm draped over her shoulder. Her fingers played with the vague callouses on his hand for a couple of minutes. She was always fascinated with the minute details of his body that made him who he was.

"I have good news." Olivia said softly. He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Spill."

"I weighed in today at 120 pounds." She turned to where he could see her beaming face. "I'm officially out of the underweight category."

"Wow. That's fantastic. I'm so proud of you."

Olivia could only translate her happiness into kisses as she kissed him feverishly before the tears could form in her eyes. She took his bottom lip between her teeth, tugging it as she moved to straddle him. Fitz couldn't be more grateful for the partition as he felt her soft tongue against his. Way too soon, they felt the car come to a stop. They had arrived at Abbey's house, and a large party was already full swing.

Olivia climbed off of Fitz's lap and straightened her hair and clothes before knocking so that Hal could let her out.

They entered the cool Bel Air home that was overflowing with people. Olivia found Abbey sitting at a stool by her kitchen counter animate with conversation.

"LIV!" Abbey yelled as she laid eyes on Olivia.

"Hey, you. I thought you said this was going to be a small get together." Olivia was pulled in for a hug. She could tell Abbey was well past a few drinks.

"I knew you wouldn't come if I said anything else." Abbey winked. "Hey, Fitz. It's been a while."

"Yeah, it has. Great job tonight. I loved the movie."

"Thanks. Hey, Olivia, there is someone I would want to introduce you to, but I guess you two already know each other." Abbey reached over and pulled David Rosen by the hand to her side. "Olivia Pope. David Rosen."

"Nice to formally meet you." Olivia extended her hand. "Fitz, this is Mellie's friend that helped us out back in February."

"Oh, yeah, it is nice to finally meet you." Fitz warmly shook his hand.

They mingled for a couple minutes before heading outside to her patio for fresh air. Fitz grabbed her a glass of wine, while he stayed sober. Everyone was standing around the pool, so they mingled with some acquaintances before walking over to a gazebo on the edge of the property.

They enjoyed being slightly isolated, catching up with one another, and people watching all of the beautiful and wealthy party-goers. Olivia and Fitz really were each other's best friends, and Olivia missed the simple conversations they held.

"I'm getting really excited planning our vacation." Olivia brought her wine glass to her lips to hide her smirk.

"Are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"Nope." She smirked. "I'll tell you what you need to pack, and that is it."

"Can you drop hints?"

"Um… It isn't inside of the lines of L.A. County."

"Oh, well thanks for narrowing it down. Will I need a passport?"

"I can't say."

"Hot or cold?"

"I can't say."

"Developed or not?"

"I can't say."

"What continent?"

"Okay, fine. It is Antarctica."

"Just know that you are killing me here."

"I promise that you will love it. And if you don't, then you will have to put up with it because you love me."

"You've got me there." Fitz conceded. He looked past her to see a familiar pair of legs waltz away from the main crowd of people in their direction. "Shit."

"What?"

Fitz shifted his body so that he was facing way from the house. "A former friend of mine is walking towards us. She and I kind of… Well, a long time ago, we—"

"Do you want to leave? We can go if there is drama."

"No, no. Don't worry about it. It is ancient news. A long time ago."

"Okay." Olivia nodded, dropping it. Then, she realized who he was talking about as the woman approached them. Olivia studied the tall, tan, long-legged woman through the darkness. Olivia was convinced that there was no way she wasn't a model of some sort. One of those socialites whose life was bought via daddy's credit card, living in a bubble wrapped perfection.

"Fitzgerald…" She flicked a hand through her long brown hair as some sort of wave.

Olivia immediately hated the way his name rolled off of her tongue.

"Emma." Fitz responded, tersely, as she joined them on the gazebo. Fitz arm went around Olivia, pulling her against his side casually.

"It's been a while."

"It sure has." Fitz smiled, but anyone who knew him knew it was forced. "This is my girlfriend, Olivia… Olivia, meet Emma, an…"

"Old flame." Emma extended her perfectly manicured hand to Olivia, as if those words were casual. "To put it lightly."

"Nice to meet you." Olivia said politely as she remained glued against Fitz.

"Likewise." Emma nodded with a subtle air of fakeness before turning back to Fitz. "So, Fitz, I never see you out anymore. It's almost as if you've slipped off of the edge of the earth. You are looking good." Her smoky eyes looked him over. "I see not much has changed."

"Yeah, well my priorities have changed." Olivia could feel the tenseness in him as his arm remained possessively around her waist. His fingers splayed around her hip.

"So now you are all old and boring or something? Come on, Fitz." Emma winked.

"Some people grow up, you know." His voice bit through his controlled manners.

"Okay, okay. I thought there were just bygones between us. My bad." She raised her hands up half defensively, bangles clanking down her wrists. "But I get it. I just wanted to let you know that you are always welcome. It could be just like old times. You know, when we had the real fun."

She gave Olivia a look down as if to say _just don't bring her._ "I might see you around, Fitz." She turned on her heels and walked back towards the party.

"Fitz?" Olivia was confused about so many things.

"Do you want some more wine? I can go get you some more wine." Fitz's eyes zeroed in on her empty glass.

"No. Do you want to leave?" Olivia looked back at Emma who was now lounging in one of the chairs by the pool, surrounded by people.

"No, we don't have to. I don't want to ruin your night. I'm fine."

"Then are you going to tell me what the hell that was?"

Fitz sighed, leaning against the railing of the gazebo. "Back when I was in college, I was really big into the party scene. It was just who I was around and how I was raised. Drugs and drinking every night. Emma and I were a thing. Well, I was serious and she wasn't. I proposed, thinking it would settle us down or something. I was like twenty one and incredibly stupid. Anyways, she fooled around. It was the first time I ever had my broken heart. It was also a wake-up call. I realized that lifestyle would kill me eventually, so I left. I dropped off. Focused on graduating. Realized that Mellie was the only real friend I had. Decided to put my career first, use my father's connections to really make a name for myself."

"I'm so sorry." Olivia wrapped her arms around his torso.

Fitz looked down at the perfect human being that loved him unconditionally. She was so accepting of his past faults, because she saw who he was now.

"I'm not. In fact, seeing her only reaffirmed one thing for me."

"And what was that?"

Fits brushed some of her hair off of her shoulder and kissed her nose.

"That walking away was the best decision I ever made. Because it put me on the path to meet you. And now I have you. And I couldn't have imagined life turning out as perfect as it is right now with you."

Olivia pulled his mouth down to his and kissed him with all of her love.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Now…" Olivia glanced over to the still crowded party venue, "Why don't we get out of here. I kind of want you to myself right now."

* * *

 **Don't forget to leave your thoughts below! I am going to try my best to get the next chapter up within the next week. Have a nice weekend!**


	27. Blue Dream

**Okay, so this chapter will be a little bit wild, haha. This is one of my favorite chapters I have ever written. I'm sorry if it jumps around a bit.**

Blue Dream—Jhené Aiko

 _***This song is too beautiful to just quote an excerpt, so listen to the whole thing_

We were coastin' on the coast when you opened my eyes  
Made me notice where the ocean is holding the sky, right  
I was blinded, your smile shining behind those green eyes  
The horizon so enticing please say you'll be mine

Don't wake me up cause I'm in love with all that you are  
You make me see the truth in things, I think that you are  
The remedy for everything it seems that you are  
The truth itself because nothing else can take me so far

My afternoon dream when  
The world is sleeping  
I am still thinking  
Of my blue dream  
It's, bliss...

* * *

 **ONE MONTH LATER**

 _click._

Fitz set his camera on the ledge and continued to watch her. She was breathtaking. She was real. She was a bundle of imperfections and efforts and trials and errors with good intentions. She was perfect. She was the only thing that kept him put together. She was most certainly his reason to live. His reason to breathe. He watched the dazzling sunrise bounce off of the glassy water onto her rich skin. The perfect silhouette. How many times could you describe one person with one word?

 _Perfect._

Her arms were extended, hands resting on the surface of the water, palms up, revealing the side of her bare breasts as well as the inner curve of her toned sides. Down to her shapely ass which almost peaked out of the water, depending on the position of whatever ripple happened to be passing. She seemed to be meditating or reflecting. Still and serene.

Fitz took a step, cautiously testing the temperature of the water. As if he didn't know it would be the perfect temperature. Just as welcoming as the image of her body. The only thing hindering him was the tiny cold circle clutched deep in his palm. A piece of the past fused with a piece of the present. He looked at it once more. Rose gold, diamonds, sapphires. The perfect the beauty of the woman in front of him. The perfect leap of faith.

Fitz entered the water again, laser focused on the one task that he felt was the reason he was on this Earth.

 **FIVE DAYS EARLIER**

"Good morning." Olivia sung in a soft pitch as she draped her leg over his torso and shifted to where she was on top of him. She giggled at his unwillingness to wake up. His hands felt around for her bottom but his eyes remained unopened.

"I said _good mooorning._ " Olivia kissed his jaw, making a trail to the crook of his neck. She bit his shoulder playfully until he finally responded.

"Alright. I'm awake. What do you want, woman?"

"You." Olivia kissed him quickly on the lips before dipping out of the bed. "I let you sleep in a little while longer because you were so exhausted."

"And whose fault was that?"

Olivia threw him a look over her shoulder as she began to get dressed. She had already showered and finished packing. "Could you be ready in an hour? Our plane leaves soon."

"Of course." Fitz rolled out of the bed and made his way to the shower. He finished filming his film a couple of days ago and was still recovering. Between getting the sale of his father's house finalized and wrapping up the production, he was beyond exhausted. He was very grateful that Olivia took to herself to plan the entire vacation without telling him a single detail. It was one less thing to stress about. He could just focus on relaxing with Olivia in his arms.

He couldn't help but try to solve the mystery of this vacation. Olivia went through his closet with him to pack what would be needed. He was assuming there was going to be water by the swim trunks she packed, some form of civilization by the nice outfits she packed for him, but also multiple outfits meant for outdoors. She could just be packing extra stuff to throw him off. She threw some of his t-shirts that he was pretty sure were meant for her. He didn't care as long as it was just going to be them two.

An hour later they were loading their oversized luggage into a cab headed to LAX. They passed though security and walked hand in hand through the expansive airport.

"Here we are." Olivia said when they arrived at a gate.

"You are taking me to Tokyo?" Fitz raised an eyebrow. He had never been to Japan, but it really peaked his curiosity.

"Nope." Olivia winked. "It's a connecting flight."

"So now I know it is an international destination."

"Correct."

"So you aren't going to tell me yet?"

"Nope."

Fitz comically rolled his eyes.

"But…I will make a deal with you."

"Okay."

Olivia leaned in towards him in case anyone else was eavesdropping. "I've always had this…fantasy."

"Yes?"

"Of being…fucked on an airplane." Olivia tried not to blush as she maintained steely eye contact with him.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. So if that fantasy happens to come true… I might reveal our destination. Just maybe."

Fitz discretely shook her hand with a mischievous glint in his ice blue eye. "Deal."

Olivia cleared her throat and brought her voice back to its normal level. "I'm going to go get a coffee. Do you want anything?"

"No, thank you."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

Olivia walked over to a coffee kiosk and Fitz couldn't help but watch her ass in her cotton maxi skirt. He couldn't wait to get on the plane. Usually she was so cautious about their PDA. She was always the one to pull back from sex in public places. Her willingness to do the dirty on a plane was surprising. It helped him get the idea of what this next week was going to be about.

They boarded the plane and finally took off into the air. Sitting in first class, they had comfortable seats. Fitz pulled a magazine out from the seat pocket and absentmindedly flipped through the pages. He placed his hand on Olivia's lower thigh.

They waited until the passengers were dozing off and the bathroom line was non-existent.

Finally, Olivia took her earbuds out of her ears and rose.

"Three knocks." _Five minutes_. She mouthed. She went to the bathroom and sent up a prayer that no one would try to come in after them. She slid her thong down her legs and began to play with herself lightly before Fitz got there. The setting was anything but romantic, but the thought of a hundred half asleep passengers right outside was exhilarating.

 _Knock.  
Knock.  
Knock._

Olivia slid the lock open and watched as Fitz entered. She tucked her thong into his pants pocket and began to kiss him around his mouth.

"We have to be really _really_ quiet. Okay?" Olivia stroked his length through his jogger pants before sliding them down to his ankles. His erection sprang up, hitting Olivia in the stomach. She was immediately drenched at the sight. She turned around and hiked her foot up on the toilet, arching her back.

She braced her arms against the plastic walls as Fitz entered, filling her walls to the point where she was going to scream.

She gasped audibly as Fitz began to stroke fast and rough. He held one of her hands to the wall as the other wrapped around to grope and massage her breasts. Fitz began to get rougher as he went deeper and deeper. Olivia fought the urge to scream as the sensation began to be overwhelming. Fitz reached down stimulate her clit which caused her to cum hard.

Fitz had to clamp his hand over her mouth as she moaned which only heightened her arousal. It took a few more strokes before Fitz was following, spilling his seed into her walls and burying his head in her neck.

Olivia pulled her skirt down and pulled his pants back up. She grabbed some toilet paper to clean herself up. Fitz had his hands on each side of the wall and was still panting. Olivia dabbed the sweat off of his forehead.

"Bali."

She kissed him briefly before dipping under his arms and exiting the bathroom. By the grace of God, there wasn't anyone else waiting in line. Olivia went back to her seat and put her headphones in. she opened the window cover so she could look out at the clouds spread over the Pacific Ocean.

Fitz returned to his seat next to her. He had the smuggest smile barely in the corner of his mouth.

"Bali, huh?" He pulled his magazine back out. "Nice?"

Olivia shrugged, "I wanted to take you somewhere we've never been. And I want you all to myself with no outside interference."

/

Two plane rides (with first class options not as luxurious as the first one) and a bumpy jeep ride later, they had arrived at their bungalow. It was isolated from the main touristy parts of the island. The bungalow sat on the sandy beach, while the edge almost grazed the crystal blue, calm ocean. The roof was made of straw and it seemed so natural to the island.

"Holy shit, Liv." Fitz hung back and took in the scenery. A mild jungle beckoned behind them. A mountain range stood off in the distance. It all seemed too unreal. Like a scene of paradise.

"So you like it?" Olivia returned to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Fitz opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. Instead he put his hand behind her neck and reached down to show his gratitude in a long, indulgent kiss. He left her breathless with her forehead still touching his.

"I love it."

"I love you."

"Do you want to go to bed?"

"Yes, please."

Fitz picked Olivia up in a bridal carry and carried her through the door of their temporary home. It was one giant room with a king sized bed on one end. A kitchenette and dining table was on one side. A giant window wall revealed the ocean with white curtains blowing softly in the breeze. A large rug covered the wood floor with a beautiful local design. A TV with a DVD/VHS player was in the corner.

"Well, I'm exhausted from the traveling." Olivia yawned and shed her clothes piece by piece until she was naked. She climbed between the sheets of the bed and looked back at Fitz. "Do you want to unpack in the morning?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Fitz eagerly joined her naked beneath the sheets. Their bodies conformed to one another. Warm skin on skin. Immediately, they were filled with a deep sense of peace as they watched the curtains softly blow in the air.

"God, this is so unreal." Fitz muttered but then he realized that Olivia was already fast asleep, snuggled into his chest.

/

They both woke up in the early hours of the morning, vaguely jet lagged, not that time was really even a concept where they were. After lying around for long enough, they showered. The hut was nicely equipped with a shower and tub.

"So what is on the agenda today?" Fitz asked with a towel hanging low on his hips. They were unpacking their clothes.

"We need to run into the market for groceries, but other than that, I thought we could relax on the beach today. Save the adventures for tomorrow and just chill for now." She nodded towards the vista that took their breath away every time. She looked radiant with her natural hair curling around her face.

"Sounds like a plan."

At the small town down the road, they found all of their essential needs. Olivia enjoyed browsing all of the exotic produce and picking out fruits that she had no idea what they were. They loaded their food into the car and spent the rest of the day laying out on the beach and dipping in the ocean when it got too hot.

"Can we make another deal?" Fitz asked as they waded out to neck deep in the clear waters.

"What?" Olivia asked, curious. Her eyes fell to what Fitz was doing rather than saying as his swim trunks came off.

"That every time we enter this ocean, we can't be wearing these silly clothes." Fitz kicked his shorts up to his hands and stood there completely free, causing Olivia to giggle.

Fitz crossed over to her and stood dangerously close to her. She found herself breathless as she always did when confronted with his physique. He reached down, his hands blazing a trail down her body to her bottoms untied the strings holding it together. After that task was completed, he did the same to her top, letting her breasts float freely

"Much better." Fitz murmured as he proceeded to kiss her smiling lips.

/

The next day, shaking of their exhaustion from the travel, they decided to hike Mount Batur at sunrise. The path was dark when they started with flashlights trained to the ground. Fitz held Olivia's hand every time a harmless animal rustled in the jungle around them. By the time they reached the peak, the sun was barely eclipsing the horizon.

Olivia climbed up on a perched rock and spread her legs for Fitz to lean between. She draped her arms over his chest and kissed the back of his head. The sky turned from a deep, comforting navy to a soothing lavender. Olivia felt her breath being sucked away as the creeping light revealed a blanket of fog, rippling between the other mountains. The wispy strands of clouds above them turned a vibrant orange as the sun ascended.

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find words. Something felt too perfect. Maybe it was the elevation, but she felt a new wave and from of happiness. Inner peace and completion. She softly ran her fingers through Fitz's hair, watching the new light highlight the auburn tint to his shiny curls.

Some other hikers passed them, and Fitz took that opportunity to have the strangers take their picture. He brought his film cameras as a precaution, not knowing where in the world their vacation was going to be. He wanted capture what he was going to make the most memorable time they ever spent together.

They spread out a blanket and ate breakfast as the sun finished her arrival. Then, they packed up and headed back down the mountain. Olivia saw all of the diversity of life that had given her extra heart beats earlier. Goofy monkeys swung wildly from near branches and vibrant birds made their pitchy mating calls. Fitz even spotted some parrots resting on a branch. They noticed a sign that said _air tejun. waterfall._ With an arrow pointing down a steeper path, so they followed it.

Behind a thin hanging of vines was a tall cliff probably eight stories high thick with greenery. A thin but powerful stream of water cascaded down into a small pool. They stepped to the edge of the pool to see it was very deep and alive with fish of every different shape and color.

"Fitz. This is so beautiful." Olivia whispered as she waved her hand into the water. Minnows scattered away from her hand.

"It's like we are on a different planet here." Fitz commented, "Like we are the only people alive."

"Could you imagine if we were the only people alive? We wouldn't last long. Our survival skills are sub-par. I require plumbing and air conditioning." Olivia joked.

"You have a point." Fitz pulled from his canteen of water. "Speaking of which, let's get back to those showers and A/C."

When they got back to the bungalow, they washed the grime off in a shower together. After turning the water cold in the shower, they popped popcorn, opened a bottle of wine and watched old movies on the TV in bed.

/

The next day, they drove miles to the city for shopping. They walked through endless vendors of locally made souvenirs. Olivia bought jewelry and gifts for some of her friends. The Indonesian culture was so colorful and lively. They sat at a café, talking to some locals about what life was really like on this paradise island.

Children kicked soccer balls up and down the streets. One young boy that couldn't be older than seven, came up to them with multiple strands of colorful beads around his neck.

"You are very beautiful." He said in practiced English.

"Thank you." Olivia blushed, squatting down to his level. "What is your name?"

"Yuni." He said with a toothy smile.

"My name is Olivia. Do you like to play soccer?" Olivia pointed to his faded t shirt for a national soccer team.

"Yes." His smile widened and his eyes brightened, which made Olivia smile. "I'm going to be a professional player."

"Really? I bet you can do just that. You better to practice every day."

"I already do!" He exclaimed, excited to be doing the right thing.

"Then keep up the good work." Olivia offered a thumbs up for him. "You have some beautiful beads around your neck."

The little boy sifted through them until he found a turquoise strand that matched Olivia's skirt. He removed it from his neck, detangling it from the rest and held it out to her.

" _H_ _adiahku_. My gift." He took her hand and put it in it.

Olivia tried not to get misty as she put the beads around her neck. "Thank you so much, Yuni." She pulled a five out of her purse and placed it in his hand. "Hadiahku. Now go back to practicing so you can become a professional."

The boy's face lit up as he scurried off down the road and disappeared amongst the streets.

Fitz watched the entire exchange from the sidelines. The way Olivia interacted with the child made his love for her swell. She would make a great mother, whether she realized it yet or not. He helped her back up to stand.

A particular piece of metal wrapped neatly in one of his shirts back at the bungalow was burning a hole in the back of his mind.

By the time they returned to the bungalow, the sun was setting. Fitz grilled some chicken and vegetables while Olivia cut up fruit. They had a picnic on the beach. After they finished eating, they laid down on the blanket. Olivia absentmindedly fidgeted with the beads Yuni gave her. Despite the late evening lighting, her infinity ring gleamed softly.

"You were really good with that boy earlier." Fitz rolled over to her side and ran his hand down her side.

"He was adorable." Olivia said lightly. "But thank you."

Fitz brought a hand to her face and kissed her softly. "I love you, Olivia Pope."

"I love you, Fitzgerald Grant."

/

Olivia awoke just before the sun did. She carefully removed herself from Fitz's arms, sliding out of the sheets. She bypassed her robe and headed straight to the ocean. She felt the strangest need to be connected to the vast body of water. The warm waters encompassed every crevice and curve of her body, welcoming her to its little slice of serenity.

She waded waist deep and then stopped.

She had so many things racing through her head, she just needed a moment to herself. She couldn't even pinpoint what was she was feeling. She felt like her life had reached its peak happiness and she was worried about what would come next to knock her down.

She thought about the last months with Fitz. How happy he made her despite all of the bumps life threw at them. Through the scandalous headlines and teary eyes, he was there to make sure she had everything she needed. She didn't want to live a day without him. He was her everything, while still giving her room to grow and figure her own life out.

They were immeasurably better together. Olivia thought about the dark times in New York. She thought about that one time she found Fitz with too many glasses of Scotch in him. When she held him to her chest and he revealed all of the hell he put himself through after she left for New York. How lost he was and how the only thing that gave his life a pulse was draining one alcohol after the other. Olivia cried with him as she saw how he suffered in her absence.

All that time apart, Olivia loathed him for years. Her hate for him became a foundation for her life. It was unhealthy and she could barely survive much less thrive. That day at Cyrus's party when he knocked on her window and insisted on her hearing his apology. That day she gave him a second chance. She finally abdicated the crown of hate and let the trickle of his love in. As he poured his unconditional love out to her, she realized how much her soul needed him.

Mid-thought, she felt his hand graze her hip. She fell back against his naked body and felt his hand encircle her stomach.

"Good morning, love." He murmured, inhaling the coconut scent of her hair and kissing her cheek. "What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking."

"About what?" Fitz asked.

"Everything. Us and the timeline of our love. Why we work so well together and how much I love you."

"Mmmh, and how much is that again?" Fitz said with half of a joke in his voice, but Olivia answered with hefty emotion in her voice.

"More than I could ever express in silly words." She put her left hand over his, intertwining her fingers in his.

"Do you see all of this water? See how it goes on for miles. So far you can't even see where it ends. It could go on forever and it is up to you to believe that it does. _That_ is how much I love you. Endlessly, unconditionally, forever."

"Fitz."

"Something inside of me always knew you were the one. Maybe from when you first strutted into that first audition. Certainly from the day you welcomed me back. I always knew."

Fitz brought his other hand around to her belly. It was closed around something, but when he opened his palm over hers, Olivia felt a cool piece of metal press into her hand. He closed his hand around hers so she couldn't see it yet, but he knew that she knew what it was. Her breath hitched as she waited for him to finish.

"You are my everything, Livvie. I can't imagine living a day without you. To oversimplify it, I love you. I can't imagine a better way to do this—us, flesh to flesh. Here, in this place. So, I would like to ask you to stand by my side, as I will stand by yours, for the rest of our lives. Olivia Carolyn Pope, can I have the privilege of making you my wife?"

He moved his hands from hers so she could see the ring. It was captivating. She stopped breathing as she turned it over with her fingertips. It was rose gold—the same color as her infinity ring. The diamond was a marquise cut with blue sapphires accenting it. She put it on her ring finger and held it out to note the sparkle in the morning sun.

"Fitz…" She finally choked out.

"It is a yes or no question, Livvie." His hands were resting on her hips.

"Yes." Olivia nodded her head as she turned around to face him. Tears streaked down the most joyous expression on her face. "Yes, yes, yes."

As the weight of what just happened hit them, Olivia burst into a giddy laugh. Fitz picked her up, spinning her around in the water, disrupting the peaceful surface.

He stopped his mouth centimeters from hers, with their noses touching. "Well, now that that is settled."

Then he kissed her. He kissed her like it was the last kiss he could ever give her. He kissed the salt tears off of her face. He kissed the salt water off of her shoulder. He kissed his _fiancé._

He picked her up and took her back to the house. He laid her down on the bed and proceeded to make love to the woman who just promised to spend the rest of her life with him.

* * *

 **Whew! That took me forever to get to. Engagement festivities will be in the next chapter. I will _try_ to update soon, but I won't have too much free time over the next couple of weeks. Have a nice weekend!**


	28. Sunday Candy

**Thank you for being patient for this chapter. That was an unavoidable hiatus for me. Your reviews were so generous. Enjoy!**

Sunday Candy—Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment  
She could say in her voice, in her way that she love me  
With her eyes, with her smile, with her belt, with her hands, with her money  
I am the thesis of her prayers  
Her nieces and her nephews are just pieces of the layers  
Only ones she love as much as me is Jesus Christ and Taylor  
I got a future so I'm singing for my grandma  
You singing too, but your grandma ain't my grandma  
Mine's is handmade, pan fried, sun dried  
Southside, and beat the devil by a landslide  
Praying with her hands tied, president of my fan club  
Stand tall, something told me I should bring my butt to church

You gotta move it slowly  
Take and eat my body like it's holy  
I've been waiting for you for the whole week  
I've been praying for you, you're my Sunday candy

* * *

Olivia watched as the Boston skyline came into view. It was just as cold as she remembered. Cold, but familiar. Not as mean as New York, yet despite spending the first eighteen years of her life there, it was far from warm. She watched the sparkling reflection from her ring catch the mid-afternoon sunlight, shattering patterns onto the plastic of the plane cabin. Every time she looked at it, her stomach flip flopped with happiness.

 _She was engaged_.

Not only was she engaged, she was engaged to the most incredible man on the face of the earth. One simple Instagram post onto Fitz's account notified the world that she said yes. They were being celebrated everywhere on blogs and radio shows. Olivia thought back to that magical morning on the island.

" _It is a yes or no question, Livvie." His hands were on her hips, giving her the space to look at the intriguing ring placed delicately in her palm._

" _Yes." As if there could be any other answer from her lips. "Yes, yes, yes." She turned around to look him in the eyes. His hands slid the ring onto her trembling left ring finger. She laughed, trying to place some of her overflowing emotions._

 _The next thing she knew, she was spinning. Her legs was around him and they were flesh to flesh. Euphoric was too weak of a word._

" _Well, now that that is settled."_

 _They were moving through the water. He was taking her to bed._

 _He walked up the steps to their bungalow. He immediately laid her down so gently on the sheets. His hands were full of anticipation as he pulled her hands above her head. He kissed her stomach as he moved his hands to her ankles and spread her legs far apart. Under his gaze, she felt herself turn incredibly wet. He was like a Greek god trying to decide how to tear his muse apart._

 _Fits kissed her ankle before creating a slow trail up her leg. He was adoring every inch of her body. He reached her thigh, and Olivia felt her heart skip a beat. Was she dreaming, or did this man really just claim her as his fiancé? He reached the apex of her thighs, and she brought her left hand down to his hair. The shiny rock disappeared beneath his thick curls._

 _His morning scruff brushed her the right way as she moaned audibly. He took her hand out of his hair and intertwined their fingers. His mouth kissed skillfully around her heat as his tongue darted in and out. Olivia moaned in approval as he sucked her clit into his mouth hard. He released her with a loud pop as he drove two fingers into her, curling up to her G-spot._

" _Fuck." Olivia muttered as she came on his tongue, digging the heels of her feet into his muscular back. As she rode the wave of her orgasm, he moved up her body, laying sloppy kisses along her flat stomach up to her breasts. He sucked the salty water off of each one, enjoying the taste of her mixed with the Indian Ocean._

 _Olivia greedily grabbed down for his cock. She took it in her hand, stroking it to its full capacity. He locked his lips to hers, taking her breath away with his tongue. Then he entered, taking her other set of breath away._

" _God, I love you." One of them mumbled as they were united in promises and flesh._

 _Fitz found his rhythm as he pumped endlessly into her. They were reaching new levels of euphoria as they sealed their deal with one another. Olivia demanded his lips on hers as she took his tongue between her plump lips._

 _They came violently together, fingers intertwined, as well as heart strings._

But now she was engaged. She had a shiny rock on her finger promising her to the love of her life. Olivia was genuinely surprised that the media hadn't caught a whiff of it yet. The paparazzi caught them in the airport, but no clear pictures of her hand surfaced online. She preferred it that way. She needed to tell a few people before it hit the airwaves. One of them including her father.

Eli Pope still lived in Boston, where he raised her as a single dad after her mother died from a car crash when she was seven. He used to practice law. He was wildly successful, owning his own firm, but when the firm got large enough to run itself, he left it to the partners and became a professor at Boston University's law department.

The last time she saw him, she was packing her things from her childhood bedroom to go to Los Angeles the first time. The last time they talked on the phone was in February when he called to congratulate her on winning an Academy Award. He told her he was proud of her, and she extended an open invitation for him to visit her in L.A. whenever. He never came. Olivia refused to let her mind over analyze why he never did.

Olivia hailed a cab and watched the streets roll past on her way to his office. The differing shades of brown and grey slipped past the window, pulling memories of her high school years. How she tunnel envisioned her life to theater and acting. Her rebellion against her father's plans and her intense longing to escape.

She was supposed to an Ivy—her father pushed for Harvard, his alma mater—but any Ivy League would work. She was supposed to get her undergrad in Political Science or English and then go straight to Law School, on her father's dime. But she refused, applying to Julliard on her own, and taking on the finances on her own. What really stung her father was that she could have easily been accepted to any school of her choice. Her test scores were perfect and she was incredibly smart. It was her choice that broke his heart.

She couldn't dwell on all of the teenage angst caught up in those memories. She would rather move past it and not hold grudges.

Olivia walked up the steps to the law department of Boston University. She stopped the first student she saw.

"Hi, could you tell me where Eli Pope's office is?"

The student barely looked up from his phone. "Yeah, fourth floor, down the hall. On the right."

"Thanks." Olivia walked towards the elevator.

"Wait." He called after her. "I actually think he's lecturing right now. Try room 1204." His eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh shit, you're Olivia Pope."

"Yeah, I am." Olivia blushed.

"So that would make Eli Pope…"

"My uncle." She cut him off. If people didn't already know their relation, it was probably the best. "Thank you for the help."

"Yeah, no problem."

Olivia walked away before he asked any more questions. It didn't take long for her to find the lecture hall her father was occupying. She slipped in the back and took a seat on the last row. Her father made eye contact with her for half of a lingering second before continuing with his lecture. She listened to him drone on about Habeas Corpus law.

"I expect your first research paper due by next week. You are dismissed."

The students quickly gathered there things and filed out, leaving them alone.

"Olivia. What are you doing here?"

Olivia stood and walked to the front of the lecture hall. "Hi, dad."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have some news." Olivia shifted her weight back and forth.

"It must be big if you came all the way across the country." He began to gather his materials from his teaching podium. He became preoccupied with shuffling his papers into his briefcase.

Olivia pulled her hand out of its position in her jeans. "I'm engaged." She let that giddy, infectious smile cross her face as she wiggled her ring finger.

"To that director." Eli raised his eyebrows, but kept his eyes trained on the task at hand. There was a stifling air of awkwardness in between them.

"Yeah, well I just wanted to let you know in person." Olivia fought the urge to clear her throat. She didn't know what she expected, but it was more than the cool disinterest he was giving her. "I thought this warranted more than a bi-yearly phone call, so…" She grabbed her purse and slowly began to back away. "I'll let you get back to work."

"Wait." Eli called before she could exit. Olivia turned back around to face him. "Do I get to meet this man?"

"He had to work, but he really wanted to come."

"Well, maybe I can get the chance when I'm in Los Angeles."

"Yeah… When you are in Los Angeles." Olivia couldn't help but let a sting into her voice. After their last phone call, she was filled with so much hope that they could mend their relationship, but he never called or visited.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Olivia hesitated, wondering if she wanted to go into anything with him. She hated when they fought, but she needed to say some things to him. "I seem to remember you promising to visit before."

"I'm confused." Eli leaned forward and put his palms on the lecture podium. "You come here to share a milestone of your life with me, then insult me on your way to the door?"

Olivia took a few steps from the door towards him. "I don't want to fight with you."

"Then tell me what you want, child, because it sounds like you want a fight."

"Don't talk down to me."

"So what, you go off and make a few millions, get your picture taken in a couple of magazines, and think you are somewhat better than me?"

"Okay, I'm leaving." Olivia felt tears sting her eyes. Just one minute with him brought out the worst in her and she couldn't handle it. This all felt like a mistake. Just as she reached the doorway, his voice stopped her. It was the same tone she heard a hundred times before, and she knew it was best to stop in her tracks.

"Tell. Me. What. You. Want. Olivia." His tone was rock hard. Scary and articulate.

"I want my father." Olivia bit back the tears and turned around to face him. "I want my father. I don't want the man that has been absent for the last eight years of my life and barely there for the other eighteen. I don't want the man that belittled me and never told me my dreams were valid. I don't want the man that couldn't accept that I was never going to fulfill his stupid Ivy expectations and cookie cutter existence. I want my father. I just want your love and support. I want your effort. I want the time it takes to get to know me. I want to forget all the bullshit you put me through in my adolescence. I am willing to forgive you. If you will just be my father."

"Olivia…"

"I get that I didn't turn out how you wanted me to. But I have a successful career, a man that loves me unconditionally, and for the first time in my life I am true to myself and happy. I want you to be a part of my life, okay?"

Olivia stood there, out of breath, too exhausted to cry. Eli's face was calm as usual. A million thoughts whizzing behind his eyes, but a calm ocean on the front.

"Olivia come sit down." His voice was calm and void of the harsh judgment earlier.

She reluctantly came to sit in one of the desks. Eli followed and sat next to her.

"The reason I haven't visited, is because I am scared."

"Scared?"

"When I look at you, I don't see any of me. I see your mother, as much as it pains me, but I don't see any of me. I see a compassionate, talented human being that I had no part in raising. None of your success can be attributed to me. Every positive aspect of you comes from _you_. You made yourself. And, yes, back in February, when you extended an invitation for me to come to visit you I wanted to. But I was scared. Scared of who you are, because I had nothing to do with it. I messed up with you."

"There is a lot more of you in me than you think. Why do you think I work so hard? I had to have gotten my stubbornness from someone." Olivia smiled.

"I really am proud of you Olivia. You proved me wrong. I am proud of you."

"Thank you." Olivia wiped a tear from her cheek. "Now, can we put all of this behind us and try to be normal?"

A hearty, warm chuckle rumbled through his chest. "We can try." He took her hand and helped her stand. He pulled her in for a hug.

Olivia breathed deeply his smell of leather bound first editions and oak. She could remember the last time he hugged her like this. She was nine and in tears because the swim team coach put a slower swimmer on the faster relay. It was the first time she was ever told she wasn't good enough even though she knew she was.

He looked at the crying girl, heart broken and ready to quit in defiance. He pulled her in tightly and held her head to his chest. For a solid moment, she felt comforted and safe. Then he pulled her off of him and held her by her shoulder. His face was stern and without sympathy.

" _You have to be twice as good as them to get half of what they have, Olivia."_

Olivia pulled back. "Thank you."

"No, thank you."

Olivia hesitated, letting the doubt of her next request almost stop her one last time. "I have a favor to ask you. It requires your commitment, and for you to be there for me. I can't handle what we've been through all over again."

"Nothing will be ever perfect, but I can promise my effort."

"Would you walk me down the aisle?"

This time, Eli found moisture in his eyes. "I would be honored."

/

 _Olivia woke up with the sunlight streaming around her fiancé. She focused on his chest hairs curled against his rippled chest. To her hand, resting against him, fingers splayed across his chest. The ring, sparkling brilliantly._

" _You like it?"_

 _His voice surprised her, because she wasn't expecting him to be awake, much less watching her._

" _It's beautiful." She whispered. She kissed the closest piece of his skin: his shoulder._

" _It was my mother's…Well, parts of it. The diamond. And the sapphires. I had it reworked to fit you."_

" _I love it." She slung her leg over his hip. "I love you." She lifted herself to straddle him._

 _Fitz brought his knees up to support her back and they sat there for a second, in silence, in complete comfort with one another._

" _We should plan a wedding."_

" _We need to get a DJ."_

" _We need a venue."_

" _You need to get a dress."_

" _I will take your name."_

" _Olivia Pope Grant."_

" _Olivia Grant."_

" _Livvie Grant."_

" _We should buy a house."_

" _We should build a home."_

" _Personalized just for us."_

" _We should have a yard."_

" _Near the ocean."_

" _With many bedrooms."_

" _And a wine cellar just for me."_

" _For us."_

" _Okay, but really for me." Olivia chided, as she kissed his hairline._

" _Okay, just for you." Fitz did a sit up so he could kiss her lips. "But only so I can taste the wine off of your lips every night." He traced the outline of her lips with his fingertip._

" _Okay. Every night."_

" _God, you are so sexy."_

" _God, I love you."_

 _God—" Olivia cut him off with a passionate kiss to the lip. He palmed her bare ass, causing her to groan softly into his mouth._

" _God, I can't wait to be married to you."_

 _Fitz flipped them over so he was hovering over her. She opened her legs so he could rest between them. He kissed her nose before hopping out of the bed._

" _Where are you going?" Olivia moaned as she watched him skip over to their shopping bags from the market earlier. Olivia propped herself on her elbows and pouted. Fitz grabbed a mysterious bottle she didn't notice him buy._

" _I would take that pout off of your face if I were you." He came back towards the bed._

" _Why?"_

" _Because I'm about to give my fiancé a massage."_

" _Oh." Olivia saw that the bottle was a massage oil._

" _Turn over." Fitz's voice dropped an octave._

 _Olivia obeyed and Fitz straddled her thighs. He warmed the oil between his hands before applying it to her back. Olivia moaned as his strong hands worked the oil across her back, kneading all of the right places._

" _You like that?" Fitz whispered in her ear as he reached her shoulders. He poured some more oil on his hands and reached beneath her to massage her breasts. Her back arched and she moaned unintelligibly into her pillow._

" _I'll take that as a yes." Fitz smirked as he moved to her arms. He reached all the way to her fingertips before starting at her feet. Olivia was in pure bliss as he spread her legs wide apart and slowly worked her calves. His hands reached her thighs, applying a fresh coat of oil. It smelled divine, like the beach, like him._

 _He palmed her ass roughly and when she arched her back in pleasure, he slid a pillow under her lower abdomen. Feeling her squirm and relax under his hands had him rock hard. He coated his dick with the oil and lined himself up with her, teasing her clit with his tip._

" _Shit." Olivia sputtered, in her own form of begging._

" _What was that?" Fitz taunted in her ear. "I couldn't hear you."_

" _Fitz…" Olivia squirmed._

 _He intertwined her fingers in his and brought them above her head. "What do you want me to do?"_

 _Olivia's head was hazy with pleasure. She couldn't think clearly. All she could focus on was his strong hands tying hers down and his glorious body pressed against hers and his thick cock rubbing her pleasure spot._

" _Fuck me."_

" _Your wish is my command." Fitz smirked as he entered, filling her completely._

 _He stroked in and out, kissing her shoulder blades and hair. Olivia's toes curled and her back arched as she tried to process the familiar but still exciting work he always put her body through._

 _Fitz flipped her over again so he could see her face as she came. He lifted her leg over his shoulder to hit a new angle and had them both moaning in unison. His pelvic bone provided the perfect friction against her clit as she neared the edge rapidly._

" _Look at me." Fitz growled as he entangled his hand in her wild curls._

 _Olivia willed her hooded lids to lift to his crystal blue eyes. Her lush lips were parted and panting. Every time she caught him looking at her like that—so unapologetically in love and drenched in lust—her soul expanded._

" _I love you." He drew each word out, holding her intense gaze of unwavering love._

 _Olivia released at his words, digging her fingernails into his hair as she succumbed to her orgasm. Fitz finished inside of her, holding her gaze the entire time._

 _They spent the rest of the morning silently planning their lives together, interspersed with kisses and uncontainable smiles of happiness._

/

Olivia went straight back to the airport after that. Part of her wanted to stay and spend time with her father, but she felt like they both needed a little of space. They needed to process the rampant emotions. But they set in stone when he would visit her for Thanksgiving.

In the cab to Logan International Airport, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Fitz's number.

"Hi." His deep voice came through the airwaves clearly. There was some chatter in the background.

"Hi. You are busy." Olivia replied. "I can call back later."

"No, it's just the editing room." Fitz pressed pause on the screen and kicked his feet up onto the desk. "How'd it go?"

"Great, great, great." Olivia smiled genuinely. "We have a lot to work on and talk about. But we've agreed to try and work it out."

"You sound relieved."

"I am. I just feel like everything is coming together. I'm finally getting my life to fall into place."

"Did you ask him?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"He said yes." Olivia let her smile creep into a full blown grin. "He is going to walk me down the aisle. It's good. We are good. Well, we are going to be. It's a start."

"I'm so glad." Fitz let out a relieved sigh. "It just seems like everything is coming together. This is all going to be great."

"If I ask you a question, can you answer it without asking any questions or raising any suspicions?"

"Um, okay?" Fitz was genuinely intrigued.

"You know the infinity ring you got me in New York? The one that I wear everyday?"

"Of course."

"What is the name of the shop you got it from?"

"Oh, I can't remember. It's on Hooper St. over in Williamsburg. Not the nicest neighborhood, but the store stuck out. Wedged between two apartment buildings, I think."

"That is all. Thank you." Olivia said shortly.

"Wait… Why?"

"No questions, remember." Olivia smirked. "I love you and miss you and I'll see you in a short while."

"Not short enough, Livvie." He murmured back. "But I love you. And I'm glad you are reconciling with your father. I want the big day to be perfect for you."

"It will be." Olivia smiled. "Good night. Get some work done."

"Without you? Not likely."

"You don't get any work done with me their either, do you?" Olivia shot back.

"Touché."

/

Olivia threw some generous bills at the cabbie and jumped onto the Brooklyn sidewalk. She only had an hour before she had to head back to JFK Airport. She prayed this was the right place. It fit Fitz's description. Despite the bars over the window, it had a classy charm.

She entered the store's threshold to find a young woman with a long brown braid cleaning a glass display case. The rest of the store was empty.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" The girl set her bottle of Windex down and pranced over to her.

"Hi, my boyfriend came in a couple of months ago, and bought me this ring." Olivia slid her ring off of her finger and held it up.

"Oh, yes. I remember." The girl blushed. She certainly wouldn't forget the day the handsome movie director came by the store. The only celebrity she had ever met. Up until now, that his even more famous girlfriend was standing there.

"Yes, well, can you keep a secret?"

"Of course." She nodded vigorously.

"We are getting married, and I want to get him a matching ring to be our wedding rings."

The girl's eyes widened as she centered in on the glistening rock on her left ring finger. "If you want to hang around for a couple of hours or come back or whatever, my dad—who owns the store—will be back in about three hours."

"I only have a couple of minutes. I have a flight to catch."

"Well, I can give you our card, and you can call?"

"Yes! That would be perfect."

"Awesome." The girl pulled a business card out of a drawer. "Here you go. My name is Clara. My father's is Sal."

Thank you. And don't you dare tell a soul we are getting married. It's out little secret."

Clara crossed her heart and put a hand up in the air. "I swear."

"Good." Olivia winked over her shoulder as she left. "I'll be in touch."

* * *

 **It just occured to me that Scandal S5 is just around the corner. I am optimistic for it for the first time in a long while. I'll try to update as soon as possible!**


	29. Little Dreamer

**Hey guys.. Sorry for this ridiculously delayed chapter.**

Little Dreamer—LIONBABE

Sleep little dreamer  
Don't forget to rest your little head  
Play little dreamer  
Make sure every story has a chance to go  
And steal your heart away  
I still run with the lost boys  
I still look for mermaids  
And I hear the moon  
And I talk to the trees  
We are nothing but magic in our hair  
There's no time to waste it

* * *

 **A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER**

Fitz brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose and pressed lightly. The bright screen of the monitor was beginning to exacerbate his dull headache. Nothing was going terribly wrong with his film, they just hit a plateau in the editing room. He checked the time in the corner of the computer screen. 5:34. Normal people would be getting off of work.

He looked over to the editors focused on the screen. Their frustration was evident in their faces, but they were still focused on getting it right. He really couldn't have chosen a better team to work with. He could see their spinning wheels, so he decided to cut it short.

"Alright guys, let's leave this sequence be for now. We start fresh tomorrow at nine on scene seventeen."

They all said goodbye and departed, promising to bring fresh faces and ideas in the morning. Fitz drove to Olivia's house. Olivia wasn't expecting him for another two hours, but he couldn't wait to see her, as usual. She invited him and Mellie over for dinner that night, promising to "cook", although they both knew she would pick something up from a restaurant and warm it in the oven beforehand. Mellie had been on a tour across the country, being the celebrity-in-resident for an environmentally conscious movement urging high schools to practice recycling. She hadn't had an opportunity to properly congratulate them.

They had still kept their engagement a secret, wanting to let the world know on their own terms. With Olivia not having any public appearances, it was very easy.

He used his keys to her place, but didn't find her inside. He caught a glimpse of her on the beach through the large windows. She was sitting on a large blanket with books sprawled around her. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun on her head and a pen was tucked neatly behind her ear. She sat with her legs crossed and her chin in hand. Her back was exposed in a flowy, white jumpsuit with a cutout back and thin straps.

Before she could notice him, he ran back to his car to fetch his favorite film camera. She had so much natural beauty, that he tried to capture as much of it as possible. He found the perfect symmetry of her against the white sand and blue ocean. He tossed the camera inside before returning to the beach.

He silently approached her from behind and crept up behind her on the blanket. He kissed her softly on the cheek. She jumped before relaxing into his arms wrapping around her waist.

" _Jesus fucking Christ._ " She muttered in her surprise, causing Fitz to chuckle deeply against her throat.

"Sorry."

"No, you aren't."

"Okay, I'm not." He conceded before seeking out her lips. She surrendered, turning to kiss him better. He sat on the blanket next to her, with his legs behind her, giving her a back rest.

"You are supposed to be at work."

"We had to cut it short. We were spinning wheels."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." Fitz kissed her again, this time deeper, sliding his tongue between her lips and into her mouth. "What have you been doing?"

"Studying. More like spinning wheels." She repeated his words. She was buried in GRE prep books. She leaned her head back against his knee and groaned.

"How long have you been at it?" He knew she had been intensively studying for a couple of weeks, but she had the tendency to sit down and study for hours without end.

"I don't know, four hours maybe?"

"You need a break."

"No, I don't." She sighed in frustration. "I can't get this down. I can handle all of the sections except for quantitative reasoning. I _suck_ at math."

He massaged her shoulders comfortingly. "It is all going to be fine. You are so smart, you are going to do so well on the test. Any graduate school is going to be _lucky_ to have you."

"You only say that because you love me." She pouted.

"Yes, but also because it is true." He kissed her temple and pulled her close against his chest. They sat there in silence before a moment, before Olivia broke it.

"But what if I don't score well? Then what. I don't want to be taking classes at a sub-par school. That would be so embarrassing. I want to be challenged. I want to learn."

"You will learn no matter who accepts you. I will be proud of you no matter where you go. No matter what, it will be okay. But don't worry. You will excel no matter where you go."

He could feel the stress radiating off of her, still. This was where Olivia's perfectionist personality conflicted with the real world. She wanted to be perfect and control every aspect of life, but there were instances where her destiny as in someone else's hands. And this time it happened at the hands of an anonymous admissions counselor behind a desk with a million other applications to follow hers up.

"What can I do to help?" His fingertips traced circles onto her thighs.

She sighed one last time and closed the book on her lap, tossing it aside. "Pull me away from this, I guess. Distract me."

"Gladly." He stood, pulling her up by the hands. "Can I actually kiss you hello?"

Olivia smiled as she pushed up on her tiptoes pressing her body against his, answering physically rather than verbally. Her mind was far from the books she was just engrossed in, as she ran a hand through his curls.

Fitz took the cue and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips were so soft. He reached down to cup her ass as she moaned and parted her lips for him, half hiking up his body. The way their bodies reacted to each other never ceased to move in sync so naturally. Fitz accepted her tongue, kissing her fiercely again and again. They were breathless and hungry for more. Nothing could ever satiate them.

Fitz broke their passionate kiss. Olivia bowed her head to his. He kissed her forehead. "Distracted?"

"Mmmhmmm." She sighed, this time in contentment. "Let's go inside."

"Let's do that." Fitz agreed. They carried the books and blanket inside. Fitz helped her pick out what was for dinner. They ordered and chose delivery so they could spend time together before Mellie arrived.

Fitz stood in between Olivia's legs as she sat on the counter. They were casually exchanging kisses and conversation.

"What is this?" Fitz looked past Olivia at the stack of opened mail on the counter behind her. It was a court document.

"It is for the investigation of the murder of Keilon Williams. The boy in Atlanta. They are trying Officer Ballard. Since I was in the epicenter, and have a lot of firsthand knowledge, they want my testimony. I have been subpoenaed."

"When?" Fitz asked, studying her face.

"Next week. I was going to mention it to you, but you…distracted me."

"I'm going with you."

"You have work."

"I'm going with you."

"Okay." Olivia nodded, wanting him there for emotional support. "Chase was subpoenaed too. He is still shooting is documentary about it. This will give him a lot of footage for the process. I might have to stay a couple extra nights to help him and shoot extra for it."

"I will be there for however long you need."

"Thank you."

Fitz dropped the mail back into its place and kissed her on the lips, briefly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Olivia brought her left hand to cup his chin. She found herself using her left hand for a lot more things lately. Every time she lifted her hand her engagement ring to the light, she was reminded of how much he loved her and vice versa.

Fitz took her other hand in his, studying it. "What happened to your infinity ring?" His voice wasn't accusatory, just curious.

Olivia bit her lip, pulling her hand from his and running it through the curls at the nape of his neck. "I haven't lost it, I just want to put it away for now." She kissed his lips before he could form an emotion. "Trust me." She let her lips linger against his, as she whispered those two lines against his skin.

"Okay."

"Have you had a chance to look at the set of floorplans I sent you?" Olivia swiftly changed the subject for now. Since between the two of them, money was the least of their concerns, they decided on building a home from scratch, using the finest architects and contractors in the country. No fantasy detail was left untouched as they went through dozens of plans for their dream home. They wanted to have the house ready when they married, so they couldn't waste any time.

"No, not yet. I haven't had a minute." Fitz conceded.

"Well, while we have the time, I have them right over here. Come look at them. There is one, I am favoring."

He followed her to the living room floor, where she laid out the multiple blueprints. They spent the next hour or so discussing and amending the plans for their future. Olivia rested between his legs as they poured over the details.

"I really like the pool for number seven. It's very Mediterranean. But I like the way number four has the wide glass wall that gives you the view of the ocean." Olivia moaned as her chin fell to her hands. "This is so unfair."

Fitz laughed at her childish greediness and commitment to make it perfect. "Well, we could always add a pool to number four, but it all comes down to what style you want. Which one do you think you will still want twenty years down the road?"

Olivia pursed her lips as she flipped through the other, casting them aside. "What do you want?" she leaned back, letting her back fall against his chest.

Fitz pressed his cheek against hers as he deliberated over the sketches. After a couple minutes of thought, he decided, "I like the interior of the modern style. It feels less stuffy, and has more room for innovation. But I also like the exterior of the Mediterranean style. It has more character, and seems like it will last longer. But I can't say I holistically prefer one more than the other."

"What if we took number seven but redesigned the inside and made it modern. Not to make it clash, but to give it a makeover. Maybe adding some larger windows." Olivia mused out loud.

Fitz grabbed a notepad off of the coffee table behind them and began to sketch their ideas.

"Why don't we remove the couches from the movie room…"

"And do what?"

"Replace the whole floor with a mattress like material. Get some oversized pillows and blankets to litter the floor. So we could lie wherever and be comfortable."

Olivia nodded, looking at the sketches. "I like that. It is different."

Fitz brought his mouth centimeters from her ear. His warm breath tickled her skin, and his low voice did something to her insides. "It would make it easier for me to fuck you over every inch."

Olivia drummed her fingers along his knee. "And the _true_ motives become clear."

"Were they ever not crystal clear?" Fitz slowly unzipped the back of her jumpsuit and snaked his hand around to her core. He was pleasantly surprised to find her without any underwear on. "Something tells me, you were already aware."

Olivia had a witty comeback on the tip of her tongue, but it quickly left her as he began massaging her most tender part. His fingers were so slick with her quick arousal, it made her even wetter.

Fitz began an assault of kisses onto her neck. "I just want our house to be ready for when I want you."

"Mmhmm." Was all Olivia cared to comment as he inserted two finger into her, pumping tortuously slow.

"I just want to be able to fuck my _wife_ at any point."

Olivia felt her breath catch at the mention of wife. She felt helpless as she wanted him to feel as good as she was. She kicked the blueprints away and pushed him on his back. Fitz gave her the control as she kissed his lips, tugging his bottom lip between her teeth. She grinded her pussy against his leg, wasting no time in getting his hard.

Her fingers traced the outline of his dick in his pants, before trailing up his body to the buttons on his shirt. As she slipped his third button through the loop, the doorbell rang. Olivia halted her movements, but made no move to get up as she exhaled heavily.

"The food." Fitz patted her ass softly. "You go get the door, I'll clean these up."

"I don't wanna…" Olivia groaned again, making Fitz smile at her childish refusal.

"The sooner you get up, the sooner we can get back to it."

Olivia spent one more moment in his arms, before kissing him quickly and getting up. She readjusted herself on the way to door. After tipping the delivery boy handsomely, she popped the food in the warm oven. She hid any evidence that the food was bought. Fitz went ahead and set the table for later. By the time he finished, Olivia was lying on the couch.

"Where were we?" Fitz lied in between her legs, resting his chin on her chest.

Olivia ran her hands through his hair, just like he loved it. She noticed how tired his eyes looked. "You look exhausted." She tenderly drew a fingertip across his cheek.

"It was a rough day at work." Fitz sighed as he brought a hand to her cheek, mimicking hers. "But, I'm better now."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talking is the last thing I want to do right now." Fitz stretched to kiss her softly on the lips.

"I love you." Olivia whispered. They both knew that Mellie would be there shortly, so they were content to cuddle with occasional kisses. Olivia scratched his back, for the most part, in silence.

"Can I come visit you at work?" Olivia asked, moving her hands to his hair, and softly plaiting tiny strands.

"Of course."

"I wouldn't be interrupting? I don't want to get in the way."

"You wouldn't." Fitz lifted his head to look at her with his piercing blue eyes. "I would love for you to stop by."

"Okay. I will sometime." Olivia kissed his nose and went back to scratching his back.

They were in such simplistic heaven, that when Mellie rang the doorbell, neither one of them took the initiative to get up. Finally, Olivia rolled off of the couch and went to the door. She was met by Mellie with a huge expectant smile and a bottle of wine with a bow on it.

"Hello, the future Mrs. Grant." Mellie grinned as she pulled Olivia in for a hug.

"Hi, Mellie. How have you been?"

"Oh, don't let me bore you, I want to see the ring."

Olivia dangled her left ring finger out for her to behold.

"Shit. This is gorgeous. Fitz, I knew you had it in you." She called in to the house, knowing he wasn't far

"Had what?" Fitz appeared around the corner, kissing Mellie on the cheek.

"That romantic, sentimental shit. I knew you would find the right one." Mellie shot a look at Olivia before handing over the bottle of wine in her hand over. "Here. This is my _Happy Engagement/Thank You for Having Me Over_ gift."

Olivia took the bottle, examining the label, "Oh, shit." was all she got out as her jaw dropped.

"I know how much you love your wine. I wanted to surprise you."

"They don't even make this anymore… I thought it was… How did you? ..,"

"My tour went through Napa Valley, so I called in some favors with an old friend who happens to be a wine dealer. There was a forgotten bottle he had gotten a hold of."

Olivia held the bottle of rare Cabernet Sauvignon in awe. "Well, why don't we go open this?"

Olivia brought the food out, and Fitz poured them all a glass of wine.

"Can I say a couple of things?" Mellie asked before they shared the meal together. "I have had the beauty of the journey with you two. I was there from the beginning, when I accidentally burst in on you two. I saw the downfall. The heartbreak. I saw how being apart ruined you two. I saw how hard it was to pick up the pieces and start again. Love that hurt as much as it did for you two means that it was worth it. You two are worth it for each other. You make each other better, and are an inspiration in the name of love. So here." She raised her glass of wine in the air. "Here is to the beautiful adventure you two are embarking on. I wish you the best."

They raised their glasses to her toast. Olivia swirled the exquisite wine against her tongue as she thought about the weight of her words. It really had been a rollercoaster ride, but they were buckled in for the rise. She was there to stay, and he made sure of it with his promises.

/

After Mellie left, Olivia and Fitz were in the kitchen cleaning up. Olivia was quiet, which meant that she was either in deep thought or something was bothering her—or both. Fitz paused his task of wiping down the counter to watch Olivia from behind loading the dishwasher. She was beautiful from every angle. He poured the final glass of wine from the bottle and walked behind her, wrapping his free hand around her waist. Olivia relaxed into his chest as he brought the glass of wine to her lips.

"I know I say this every day, but I can't wait to be married to you." Fitz then took a sip from the glass.

"Is it really going to be that different?" Olivia guided his hand so he could feed her the drink again. "We already _do_ what married people do. We practically live together—although I do love the thought of waking up with you _every_ morning—simply living together isn't what makes a marriage."

"What are you getting at?"

"I don't know. I'm not doubting anything, I'm just curious." She ran her fingers through his. "I didn't really have an example of marriage growing up. My mother was gone before I really knew what the adult dynamics of a marriage was. They were just my parents to me. I was too young to view them as anything else. I just don't know what to expect. What will change? I can't imagine it getting any better than this."

Fitz turned her around gently and brought a hand to her cheek, tracing down to her neck.

"My father was a scumbag. He cheated left and right on my mother. The only reason she stayed with him is because of me. Looking back, I wish she would've left him. I wish she would have put herself first and lived her life the way she wanted to, but she was too selfless. The point is, I have absolutely no idea. I have no blueprint. I know what marriage shouldn't be. I know what not to do. But the rest, we will have to take day by day. I will love you, and you will love me. We'll figure the rest out as it comes."

An unexpected tear slid out of the corner of Olivia's eye, surprising them both. It wasn't a tear of sadness or frustration. She just felt so much love for him it was overwhelming.

"Hey, come here." Fitz slowly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. Olivia obliged, resting her head against his chest and exhaling deeply. They stayed in this embrace for the longest time.

"Do you remember the night you won the Oscar? When I took you to that private spot on the beach?"

Olivia nodded against his chest.

"I told you I was going to marry you one day. You told me you loved me, but that was all you could offer me."

Olivia pulled her head away from his chest to look at him. "I remember."

"Well, what changed since then?"

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"Why did you agree to marry me?"

"I don't know. It just felt right. In the water with you. It still does fell right. Every second with you I think _this is where I'm supposed to be_. I love you, and I don't want a future without you."

"Then that is all that matters. As long as we are honest with each other and continue to love each other as much as we do, our marriage is going to be amazing."

He leaned down to brush his lips against her nose. He didn't have all of the answers she wanted, but he did love her so fiercely. He would protect her from everything within his power, and make sure that she had the life she deserved.

"Fitz?"

"Mm?"

"I'm ready to tell the world about the engagement."


	30. Pleasure This Pain

**I hope y'all are as excited for Season 5 as I am. If Shonda thinks I am going to fall for this cheap Olitz sex grab for ratings, then…. Well…. She is right. I'm loving it, and hyperventilating at every preview they release. Did you see Mellie's face when Fitz handed her the divorce papers? Whew. 9 more days.**

 **Just a FYI before this chapter, Foley is what it is called when they record sound effects in post-production of a film. It is called a Foley stage with a Foley actor (or artist). It has no relation to Scott Foley. I just wanted to clear that up before anyone gets confused.**

Pleasure This Pain (feat. Angel Haze)—Kwamie Liv

My memories ain't the best, you know  
I don't like feelin' the rest of them  
If you and me were meant to meet the sky together  
Then I can be the wind beneath you, fly forever  
Careful baby what you ask for  
I got fire tucked inside me like a matchbox  
You know I was doo-oomed, to fall in love with you  
Put a band-aid on, and move forward for the time being  
But I can't tell if that's my heart beatin' or if that's time leaving  
See I been talking to you lately, feels like I been going crazy  
Tryna' forge a hole in time and erase all those painful places  
I was only stickin' to the script, doll, you wrote  
I was only givin' what I get, doll, you know  
Cause I can paint a picture in the sky right where you wanna be  
I never said it, love, but more like you is what I wanna be

* * *

"On the lighter side of news, Fitzgerald Grant popped the big question to Olivia Pope! And she said yes! That's right. The director posted this picture to Instagram this morning with the simple caption 'yes.' How could any girl say no to that ring?" The beautiful pop culture news anchor clutched a hand to her heart. "The couple is generally a private one, keeping their personal lives out of the public eye, but this time they gave us a glimpse."

"Olivia and Fitzgerald made their relationship public by accident when the It girl actress was attacked at the SAG Awards earlier this year. After he rushed to her aid, the kiss photographed around the web erased any secrecy about their relationship. Since then, they have been glued to their work. Fitzgerald directed a successful short film for Rap mogul Jay Z's final album. He is now in the works for his next feature length film, which has garnered a lot of buzz in the film circles. Olivia was spotted in Atlanta over the summer, filming an untitled historical drama by up and coming director Chase Flowers. That project resulted in her arrest during the protests surrounding the killing of unarmed black teen Keilon Williams. She has no other projects lined up that we know of. We wish these two lovebirds the best, as they enjoy the engaged life. Coming up after the break, Emma Stone gives us an exclusive scoop on the next Woody Allen movie."

Olivia exited her the internet tab and clicked on the next link in the email from Anna. It was a news article.

 **GRANT AND POPE TO BE MARRIED.**

She skimmed through the entertainment news coverage of their announcement. Anna only included the positive coverage. Olivia had no doubt that some people were writing things that weren't so gracious and congratulatory. Overall, she felt incredibly happy and giddy. She replied to Anna's email, thanking her for the update, and returned to her notebook.

She was getting sick of studying in her home, so she decided to go to the library for a change of studious scenery. Fitz suggested that she hire a tutor to help her prepare for the math minded sections on the test. After a two hour session, her tutor left, and she stuck around to study a little more.

Eventually, it was noon, and Olivia remembered her promise to bring Fitz lunch. She ordered some sandwiches from a deli on her way to his studio.

Olivia slowly turned the handle to the door. Fitz was in the Foley sound stage, recording sound effects. The recording sign was on, but Fitz immediately motioned for her to come in. She stood along the wall, out of the way and just watched. Fitz and a sound mixer sat behind a huge, complex mixing board, while a Foley artist stood on the other side of the glass, surrounded by various objects and materials.

"Let's try the red flooring, and if that isn't distinct enough, we can always try the green." Fitz spoke through the glass. The Foley actor nodded before setting up the red coloring across the sound stage."

The sound mixer tweaked some knobs in front of him before giving the thumbs up.

"Okay, we are starting from a couple seconds before the entrance, so be ready."

"Alright. Just throw it at me."

They pressed record on the sound board, then rolled a clip from the film. Olivia watched in fascination as the artist clicked his feet across the material, mimicking the sound of high heels across a marble floor. They did a couple more tries before switching to a different floor.

"Fantastic." Fitz clapped his hands together twice. "Let's take a lunch break. Forty five minutes."

The two guys left them alone in the sound studio.

"Have I ever told you how sexy you are when you are working?"

"No, please elaborate." He joked with a twinkle in his eye.

Olivia crossed the room to him. "Well, when you are surprised by something—unexpectedly inspired—your eyebrows raise like this…" She raised his eyebrows manually with her fingertips "And sometimes this side of your mouth turns upwards like this…"

She gently pulled one side of his mouth upwards, giggling at the face she was making him make.

"And when you are really deep in thought, you bring these two fingers to the side of your face and rest your chin in your palm. Like this!" She smiled as she got the positioning right.

"What do I look like when I'm kissing my fiancé, hello?" Fitz asked, not moving from how she positioned him.

Olivia relaxed his face and leaned in for her kiss. When their lips brushed each other, she felt her heart skip that familiar flutter. The way he softly sucked on her bottom lip made her moan at even the simplest of contact.

Olivia felt her phone vibrate, nagging against her thigh. She broke their kiss and pulled it out of her pocket to glance at the screen. It was Anna. She ignored it, knowing that whatever it was, it could wait. She would call her back in an hour or so. It was probably just Anna updating her on the lunch news cycle. Now, she wanted to enjoy the short time she had with her fiancé.

"Important?"

"Nope. It can wait." She pulled a chair next to his and handed him his lunch.

"Did you see the news this morning?" Olivia asked with a sparkle in her eye.

"Mhhmmm." Fitz pulled his phone off of the table and pulled up his Instagram account. "110,000 likes and counting."

"110,000?" Olivia's jaw dropped, half kidding.

Fitz nodded, "It's almost as if we are famous or something." He winked and dodged the empty water bottle that Olivia threw at him.

"Are you sure you can take off tomorrow?" Olivia asked. She looked back around at his work, which they seemed so deep into. "I hate pulling you from your work."

"I told you I was going to be there. I'm going to go with you. As long as you want me." Even though he was giving her a choice, he knew there were slim chances he would let her face the trial of Officer Ballard alone.

She nodded accepting his assurance one more time.

"You will have me and Chase there, and everything is going to be fine."

"Okay."

"Come here." Fitz tossed his lunch trash into a trash can, opening up his lap to her. He brushed his thumb across her cheek before running his fingers through her hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her mouth to his. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Olivia whispered, slightly breathless, in the way that he always took her breath away. She pecked his lips softly before pulling back. "You have work to do. I'll see you later."

/

By the time Olivia got home she remembered to turn her cellphone back on ring. Olivia had five missed calls from Anna, and an urgent text message requesting her to call her back. Anna usually didn't get worked up over stuff, so Olivia started to get worried. Her heart started to race as she called her back.

"Anna, what's wrong?"

"Olivia! Where have you been?"

"My phone was on silent. Why all of the calls?"

There was a brief pause on the other line.

"Are you with Fitz?"

"I had lunch with him, but he's working now, why?"

"I have some bad news, but we need to meet immediately to discuss it."

"We leave tomorrow for Atlanta for the trial. He only has the rest of the day to finish this deadline. I can't bother him right now. Whatever it is I can deal with."

There was a pregnant pause on the other end.

"Liv…"

"Just tell me what the hell is going on." Olivia tried not to let the irritation in her voice bite, but she was wondering what was so urgent and drastic.

"It is Cyrus Beene. He is talking to a reporter about Fitz's allegedly racist past and secret relationship with you years ago."

/

Thirty minutes later, Olivia was sitting in Anna's office. It was an old brick warehouse in the arts district of Los Angeles converted into office space. Olivia had only even been there a few times, since Anna usually accommodated her, but she really liked the aesthetics of her office. Except for now, when her stomach was doing somersaults against her ribcage.

"Tea?" Anna extended a hot cup of Chamomile into Olivia's hands.

"Thank you." Olivia took a sip before setting it on the coffee table in front of her.

"This morning, I got a call from the District Attorney, David Rosen. He said that he heard of a reporter registering as a visitor to Cyrus Beene in prison. He knew that I represented you, so he wanted to warn me. He said something about owing you, but that's not the point. The point is that my Team looked into it." She nodded through a glass wall to her "Team" of savvy, young PR agents that were huddled to cellphones, televisions, and laptops. They looked lie harmless college kids, but they were the most lethal PR Team in the nation. Hidden weapons. "And they found out what they talked about."

Olivia took a nervous sip of her tea as she braced herself. She felt stupid for thinking they would never have to face this on a public scale.

"Olivia, be honest with me. When did you and Fitz first meet?"

"Almost five years ago. When I first moved here after college."

"Were you employed in his film?"

"Yes."

"Were you in a relationship?"

"Yes."

"Shit." Anna muttered as she leaned back against her desk and crossed her arms. "I hate asking you a question this personal, but the press will. Why did you two break up?"

Olivia sipped her drink once more seeking some kind of courage. She wished that there was something stronger in her cup. Vodka. Whiskey. Anything.

"Cyrus manipulated him into firing me, because he didn't think I _looked_ the part. Then Cyrus published some disgusting words under Fitz's name. I fled to New York to escape it all. Luckily, since I hadn't even been in a film yet and had no star recognition, nobody picked up on the words. I thought it was kind of buried. Which I'm assuming isn't the case now." Olivia took a deep sigh. "I'm guessing that is what is in your hand right now."

Anna slid the paper face down onto the coffee table. "This is where it gets complicated. Before we just had a disgruntled lunatic, babbling away in a state prison, but this? This is concrete. These words will paint Fitz as a Paula Dean or Mel Gibson. We both know that is not who he is. But the media will be ruthless. Especially with your engagement, many people will view this as an excuse."

Olivia leaned forward resting her chin on her clasped hands. "We have to stop this. I can't—I can't let this out."

Anna pressed a button on her desk, channeling the intercom. "Team, get in here."

The Team shut their media devices and entered the office.

"What do you have so far?"

A petite girl with a blonde pixie stepped forth, pulling out an iPad from behind her. "Gideon Wallace is an unpaid intern at the Los Angeles Daily. He graduated from Williams in May, and is struggling to get his foot in a respectable job opening. "

"Struggling is an understatement." A tall, handsome man stepped forward. His hair was slicked back in an Ivy-League manner, but his face was fresh and welcoming. "His Great Aunt from Hoboken still pays his rent and utilities."

"He will be here in about forty five minutes. He doesn't know why he is coming, but my guess is that he can guess."

"What are we going to do?" Olivia asked.

"We are going to sit him down and intimidate him a little. We will ask him what he would like more. Convince him that this story isn't his shot to fame."

The Team left to go back to work, and Olivia tried to prepare herself.

"I work for you and respect your opinion, so this is the last time I will ask. You don't owe me an explanation, but are you sure you don't want to tell Fitz about this?" Anna asked, sitting on the couch next to Olivia.

Olivia nodded, trying to find words. She trusted Anna. Even though they had held a professional relationship, there was always an underlying friendship of trust and best interest. There was a reason why she was the best, and that was because she truly cared about each client.

"It was a really long and painful road to forgiving Fitz. For both of us. I want to protect him from this. He is a good person. He has already faced his consequences, and he doesn't deserve to go through it all again."

"Okay. Do you want to sit in on this little meeting?"

"Yes, if you think it will help."

"I think it will in the intimidation side. If this kid has any heart, he will be unable to look you in the eye and let you know that he plans on ending your public relationship."

It wasn't long before Gideon Wallace was standing at their office door. He had a briefcase in hand, and was clad in dark wash jeans and a button down shirt. He looked all the bit of fresh journalist that the Team painted him as. He was pretty handsome, baby faced, even with dark curls flopping over his forehead.

After formal introductions, Anna motioned towards the large glass conference room. "Mr. Wallace, please follow me."

When he entered, he found Olivia Pope sitting at the far end of the table. She was breathtaking in every sense that the movies and magazines couldn't even capture. She was looking down at her cellphone, casually typing away. An unbothered expression rested peacefully on her face.

Gideon took a hard swallow as he was motioned to take a seat at the opposite end. The Team sat down at his end, facing him. Gideon could feel being set up, but he was more intrigued by the whole situation. He did his research on Anna, finding her to be the biggest publicist and mountain mover in Hollywood with a surprisingly low profile.

Anna leaned against the conference table, not taking a seat. "Mr. Wallace, do you know why we asked you here?"

"I'm going to assume, given the number of high profile public figures in this particular room that it has something to do with an article that will be featured in the L.A. Daily's entertainment section tomorrow. An article that has to do with the history of a high profile engagement." He nodded towards the other end of the table, not earning a reaction from Olivia.

"Aren't you a lucky little boy?" The Team member with slicked hair smiled as he leaned back in his chair casually. "Naïve, but nonetheless lucky. What? Did Cyrus Beene the most infamous movie producer call you, an unpaid intern, from his prison daily phone call with the juiciest scoop of the year? And you are going to publish this little story in the L.A. Daily, a newspaper who has come close to bankruptcy twice in the last decade, and is currently ranked eighth in sales _just in the city_."

He paused for a second to chuckle.

"You haven't even turned it in yet. Because we all know that the second you do, it will be snatched up by any person higher than you, and all you will receive is a pat on the back."

"But, we are here to help you, Gideon." Anna smiled kindly. "It is okay that I call you Gideon, right? I am on your side throughout all of this."

She placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "The job market is tough these days. Especially with the media field changing every day with technology. You would know better than anybody else though, since that was you thesis paper at Williams."

"You read my paper?"

"Oh yeah. It was some good stuff. But it's almost tragic that you are where you are today after diagnosing the problems just a couple of months ago." She shrugged. "Which is where we can help. You have something we want, and I have endless people I positions of power who owe me favors. Davan Maharaj at the L.A. Times is currently looking for a new pop culture correspondent. Maybe you are tired of the sun and want to move to the Big Apple? Well I know a couple people who would appreciate a guy like you at the New York Times. Politics? NBC is about to fire their political correspondent. I could get you a job in any city you want. Hell, I could even hook you up in New Jersey, if you want to be closer to your aunt."

"Obviously," the blonde girl piped in, "these jobs include a handsome salary. No more checks in the mail. This brings your own independence." Her bright green eyes twinkled with amusement.

Gideon looked away from the Team and Anna, across the table to Olivia. This time she was looking at him. Her doe-like, brown eyes looked straight through him, but he caught a flash of fear beneath them. She was terrified of what this could do.

"It's not enough." Gideon found a surprising wealth of bravado as he leaned back in his chair and looked back at Anna. "I will take the job, but I need something more."

"Excuse me?" Anna asked, masking her incredulous expression the best she could.

"Look, I might be young and inexperienced, but I know a good story when I see one. This is a big deal, and we wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't. If I turn this in, I will be immediately offered a permanent job, on my own merit. What could you offer me that would equal this story?"

Anna got up and walked a couple of paces away. Now they were really negotiating. She and the Team rapidly spit out perks, only to have them turned down by Gideon. Finally, Olivia broke her silence across the table.

"Exclusive wedding photos."

The room fell silent, as everyone looked down to the other end of the room. Gideon let a smile creep across his face.

"I have built my brand off of secrecy. _I don't talk about my personal life_. Nobody else has access to my personal life. So it would be completely exclusive. Nobody could steal it from you. Go claim you job at whatever respectable organization you want, but go with a gift. Make yourself invaluable to them."

Gideon let his smile grow into a grin as he rocked his head back and forth. Part of what made him want this deal was how he finally got her to say something. Wedding pictures wouldn't be a big deal unless it was Olivia's choice to bring it up.

"Deal."

Anna nodded. "We have a confidentiality agreement for you to sign. Any news breaks of this, and the deal is off. Give us a minute to type up a contract to uphold our end of the deal."

Gideon extended his hand to Anna. "The L.A. Times would suit me fine." His face was so smug.

Thirty minutes later, he was walking out of her office with the best day of his life tucked under his arm. Olivia sat on Anna's couch with her head leaned back against the top. She listened to Anna talk to David Rosen on the phone about how to silence Cyrus so he wouldn't talk to any other reporters. David assured her that there were legal routes to revoke his access to the press, and it would be handled by the end of the day.

"Thank you." Olivia muttered. She was utterly exhausted.

"Just doing my job. Another crisis adverted."

"Another life saved." Olivia smiled ironically. Her mind was still trying to process the promise she made. She would have to tell Fitz now. She couldn't just show up on her wedding day with a photographer from the L.A. Times and no explanation. "I should get going."

She stood, hugging Anna briefly. "Thank you."

/

That night, Olivia was spending the night at Fitz's condo so that they could leave together for the airport. The whole night, Olivia was silent, unable to find the words to tell Fitz about her day. Fitz assumed it was nerves about the trial. He, himself, was exhausted from his day at work, so he didn't prod her. When they finished their nightly routines and crawled into bed together, he pulled her exceptionally close, nestling his nose into her hair.

"It is going to be fine. I know it is useless to tell you to stop worrying, but trust me. I will be there for you."

Olivia let out a frustrated sigh as she pulled out of his arms and sat up.

"Livvie?" Fitz squinted through the darkness. He sat up with her, flipping the night stand light on to dimly illuminate the room. "What is it?"

As the light filled the room, he saw her expression and it terrified him. There was something bigger than the trial that was weighing on her. Something more harmful.

"Today, I got a call from Anna." She started slow, moving her hands from his into her lap, clasped. "Apparently, Cyrus Beene called a reporter to visit him in prison, and told him all about when I worked for you. He told him about our breakup through his eyes, and the quotes he used under your name. We had to stop the reporter, because it couldn't get out. I promised him exclusive wedding photos."

Olivia looked up at Fitz with tear soaked eyes. His brow was furrowed and there was a rigidness to him.

"You did what?" Each syllable was an individual knife diving into her flesh.

"I gave him exclusive rights to our wedding photos. The whole thing. Candids. Posed. Everything."

"Liv, what the fuck?"

"I'm sorry—"

"You can't fucking do that. Without even consulting me? What are you, the only decision maker in this relationship?"

"I was trying to protect you."

"It was my problem, and therefore I should be the one dealing with it. We could have found another way. Together. Like a team."

Olivia felt anger rise in her. She did what she thought was best for her future family, and didn't see why Fitz couldn't see it. She didn't want to fight, but she needed to be heard.

"You should be thankful that I did all of this. I saved us from another public crisis. You in particular. You would be the one labeled a racist. You would be the one who would be blacklisted. I would have to deal with the backlash from that."

"At what price?" Fitz raised his voice to match hers. They were still sitting inches from each other, but there was so much distance now. "What the fuck has our wedding been turned into now? Another Hollywood circus act. We are no better than the Kardashians."

"Quit being so goddamn melodramatic." Olivia shifted so she was sitting on her ankles. "You think that I want to have our wedding day documented and mass distributed for the American public?"

"By the way you so willingly gave it away to strangers, I would assume so." Fitz knew he was just saying that to hurt her. "You never see us as a partnership, just problem after problem to be fixed and handled."

"Grow up, Fitz." Olivia rolled her eyes. "Just grow the fuck up and realize that I did this for you. To protect you. Yeah, we pay the price, but for a mistake _your ass_ made." She was yelling like never before. She brought a finger to his face, holding it accusatorily. "Don't forget for one second whose fault this is in the first place."

Olivia's last words stung both of them. They just sat there, with fiery eyes, trying to figure out their next insult. Olivia rolled her eyes and sighed in frustration. Fitz stood, tossing his covers over Olivia's lap.

"Goodnight." He practically spat as he stormed out of the room.

Olivia sat there dumbfounded. She was humiliated beyond anything else. She sat there in her underwear and his t shirt with tears pouring down her face. She couldn't believe he just walked out like that. Now she was trapped in his room. She couldn't walk out there. She had no idea where he was in his expansive apartment—he could be sitting right outside of the room. She flung his shirt over her head across the room in futile anger, watching it land unceremoniously on the floor. She hated the things that just came out of her mouth. She wanted to rewind everything, but she knew she had a big day tomorrow and needed her rest. She laid back down, trying to get some sleep—tears falling sideways down her face.


	31. Crying Game

**I really LOVED all of the reviews for the last chapter. It blows my mind that every time I throw a little conflict in their relationship, I get so many strongly different responses. I had so many different perspectives on who was in the fault or how they should reconcile and so many perspectives I didn't even think of, that it made me type this one out so much faster.**

 **A lot will happen in this chapter. Fasten your seatbelts ;)**

The Crying Game—Nicki Minaj

Here we go again, it's the game we love  
Sheets all over the floor and they laced with drugs  
You ain't play your cards right, you had the Ace of Clubs  
Hit you with the Ace of Spade, in your face, and shrugged  
Blood drippin' out your arm on my Asian rugs  
 _We was just planning a wedding, caught cagin' doves_

* * *

Fitz woke up with what felt like a hangover. Slowly, he tried to focus his throbbing head on the obnoxious noise nagging in his ear. As he came to, he realized it was his phone's alarm. He was lying on the couch. His eyes hit the full decanter of scotch. He had not been drinking. The reason for his headache hit him like a truck: Liv.

He stood, cautiously stretching out his aching body from the limited couch. It was seven o'clock in the morning. It was time for them to get up and get ready for their flight to Atlanta. He imagined that his morning would start with him rolling over to kiss his beautiful fiancé's beautiful nose awake, then leading her to a co-dependent shower, full of good morning kisses.

Instead, it was them separated by a wall with stiff necks and sour attitudes.

Nonetheless, he quietly crept into his bedroom to find her still asleep. The skin around her eyes was a little raw, letting him know she cried herself to sleep too. She was still beautiful even in her most unaware state. He reached down to brush the hair from her face. She stirred, adjusting her eyes to the light. A look of pure irritation cracking across her face.

"Good morning."

She shot him a curious look as she fully woke up. She slowly found her bearings as she studied his face, but remained silent.

"Get up." Fitz said coolly. "We should be getting to the airport."

He walked into the bathroom to start his shower. The whole time he was hoping she would walk in behind him and lather his body wash into his shoulders. He wanted her to apologize for all of the awful things she said the night before. He wanted her to laugh and say it was all just a practical joke, that she would invite a gossip columnist photographer to their wedding. Like an April fool's joke half of a year early.

But they were both a little too hurt and volatile for that. Instead, he finished his shower and morning routine. When she entered, they moved around each other wordlessly. She stepped in the shower, throwing her towel over the door so he couldn't watch her bathe herself.

He grabbed their bags, calling a cab for them. They drove to the airport in silence. When they stepped through the airport, they found the paparazzi waiting for them. A combination of the highly publicized trial and their freshly announced engagement brought out the wolf pack of photographers. They all wanted a picture of the ring and a video to loop on the news stations.

Fitz was slightly surprised to feel Olivia snake her hand under the crook of his arm. He wasn't sure how much of it was for perception by the press or for her own safety, but he didn't question it as they navigated the hectic airport check in.

When they were finally seated in the first class section Olivia slid her oversized sunglasses off of her face, at last. Finally. Fitz could see her face.

Olivia dropped her sunglasses into her bag and pulled out the complimentary pillow. She was exhausted. She didn't get any sleep the night before. By the look of Fitz's face and the dark circles beneath his eyes, he didn't either. He looked awful and haggard. She didn't dare lift her eyes to his. Instead, she shifted to a comfortable resting position and drifted off to sleep.

Fitz hated the fact that they were on a plane in close quarters with other strangers in the state that they were in.

The imperative need to keep up their faces for the public was stifling. Any one of the other passengers could swipe their iPhone cameras open at any moment. He wanted to talk. Communicate. He wanted to sort out this invisible Berlin Wall between them. He still wanted an apology, but he wanted to understand her. He wanted to kiss her and feel her skin against his that always made him feel better. But instead he just had the inch of spare room between them, a sleepy fiancé, and a mountain of regret. He would have to suffer for a while longer.

/

Olivia woke up to the sound of the pilot announcing their descent over the loudspeaker. Did she really just sleep for five hours straight? She lifted her head to discover it was resting against Fitz's bicep. He, too, was asleep. His head was leaned back against the head rest, and his mouth was slightly agape. His leg was pressed against hers and his arm was draped across her thighs.

It was crazy how they gravitated towards each other, even in their sleep.

She skillfully removed herself from him, careful not to wake him. She fixed her hair and makeup in her compact before turning back to him.

"Fitz." She whispered, gently rubbing his shoulder. "Come on, babe. Wake up."

"Huh?" His eyes groggily opened. He remembered his surroundings and sat up.

"The plane is landing soon."

"Right." He checked the time on his watch, and adjusted it to the Eastern Time zone.

"Chase wants to take us out to dinner tonight." Olivia said. "If you don't want to, it's okay. We can do it another night this week."

Their plane hit a patch of turbulence, causing Olivia to grasp the arm of the chair tightly.

"If that is what you want to do, then I will go with you." He nodded casually.

Olivia was a bit taken back by his nonchalance. She had so much to say, but couldn't say it. She knew they would be okay, she just wasn't sure when. She slid her hand to where his was resting on his thigh, linking two of her fingers into his. He looked at their fingers intertwined. He leaned across to kiss her forehead. Yes, things weren't okay, but they would be.

They checked into their hotel with nothing to do until that evening. The trial began the next day, and Olivia had an 8:00AM call to the courthouse and an agreement to meet Chase at a coffee shop across the street at 7:00AM. Olivia set her bags on the floor and climbed onto the bed. She reached for the remote to flip to CNN. Immediately, coverage of the trial flashed before them.

 _We are just one day away from the biggest court case of the year. In a trial by Jury, the court will decide whether Police Officer Jacob Ballard is guilty of voluntary manslaughter. This is a very controversial case as it is, dealing with the first consequences of what we have seen as a rise in excessive police force. We are now joined by the author of_ Being—"

Fitz took the remote from her hands and flipped it off. "Liv, you don't need to be listening to that right now." He tossed the remote across the bed, out of her reach and sat down at the pillow of the bed, leaning against the headboard.

There was stiff silence between the two of them. Both of them knew they needed to continue last night's conversation—if you could even call it that. Neither of them knew where to begin.

"Livvie—"

"I don't want to fight."

"I don't either."

"I'm sorry." Olivia took a deep breath. "I fucked up, and I'm sorry. I just want you to know where I was coming from, though. You are my everything, and I couldn't stand the thought of another wedge, let alone widely public wedge, being driven against us. Especially considering the history of it. So I took the first way I saw out of it. I didn't think it through. I should have called you and asked. I should have included you in this. We are a team, and I should have acted like it."

Fitz held his hand out. "Come here." He needed to touch her in some way. To feel her soft skin against his would mean to world to him.

She crawled up the bed to sit between his legs. He didn't say anything, but ran one hand up and down her arm, softly.

"It really hurt. What you did. I know we have very different upbringings and perspectives on the business, but I have been in it my entire life, which is way too long. It is fake and narcissistic. I've learned how to deal with it for the aspects I love. But these pictures?" Fitz ran a hand through his hair as he fought for words. "What we have is real. It is exhilarating and personal and the exact antithesis of what I hate. What is so frustrating about all of this is that you opened what should be our day—the most quintessential celebration of our love—up to the decadent celebrity bullshit business."

Fitz took a deep breath before continuing.

"I see your intentions. I know you. I look at you and see someone who is so guarded and careful, yet gracious enough to love me. You love me so much I know I am not deserving. You made this decision out of fear that others wouldn't approve of your love. But you can't always fix everything. You can't fix me. Things are always going to get in our way. All that is required of you is to love me." Fitz took his hand to caress her cheek. "We can figure out the rest together."

Olivia couldn't speak after the beautiful words he just spoke. She stared at him with wide eyes, trying to figure out where to begin. She leaned in, slowly, letting her intentions be known. Fitz received her, shifting his hand to her neck, and pulling her closer. He brushed his upper lip against her nose, just breaths.

"I love you." Fitz barely whispered. "And that is all I want from you. You don't have to give me any more."

A tear suspended on Olivia's eye lash caught his cheek as he closed their mouths together. It was just soft tongues and kinetic apologies as they mended their wounds.

"I didn't mean what I said last night about it being your fault." Olivia whispered, breaking the kiss. Her voice was full of hurt that she feared she caused.

"But it is." Fitz's voice was low but calm.

"But I forgave you. And forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for what you did to me. So all of the past is null and void. I don't want to think about what happened way back then. I'm sorry about what I said. It was low and disgusting."

"You are forgiven."

Fitz leaned back against the pillows, pulling her with him. Olivia laid on his chest as his arms wrapped around her like a prolonged hug. Her full weight against him was like the world's best blanket.

"We are going to figure this out. I don't want that photographer at our wedding, but we will figure this out later." Fitz spoke in low grave voice.

Olivia simply nodded against him, her chin grazing his chest. They would figure it out later. Right now, they were just lying in each other's arms.

And they laid there in silence. For hours. Maybe drifting off here and there, but content. Olivia watched the clock slowly progress, counting down the seconds until they would have to get up.

"Fitz, I'm worried. About this trial."

"Hmm?" Fitz murmured, bringing a hand to squeeze her shoulder.

"It's so much bigger than this one case. This sets the precedent. I try not to think about it, but if I fuck this up, then no progress will be made. It will all be in vain."

"It is not like the entire trial is resting on your shoulders. Your purpose is just to offer an account on the events from your eyes. They have forensics and videos and facts to support you."

"But what if I slip up? I used to watch my dad in court, and the lawyers are ruthless. If I trip up or falter…"

Fitz lifted her head to look at him.

"Olivia, you are one of the most articulate, put together human beings I have ever known. The only person I've ever seen to knock you off your game is Beyoncé Knowles, and she is in Italy on vacation right now, so you don't have anything to worry about."

He kissed her nose, causing her to smile.

"You give the best pep talks."

"I aim to please."

Olivia kissed him softly on the lips, letting her mouth linger centimeters from his. "We should probably get ready."

"Probably." Fitz smiled.

"What?"

"I think we forgot to shower this morning together."

Olivia smiled, following his train of thought. She didn't feel the need to shower, but the thought of being naked and wet with Fitz held its own appeal.

"I'll meet you in there."

/

Chase chose the restaurant for their dinner. It was a quiet, low key place in Buckhead. Chase reserved a table in one of the back rooms, away from the main diners.

Seeing Chase in his suave, dark charcoal blazer and white v neck beneath it, his bright smile brought Olivia some comfort as they crossed the nearly empty restaurant.

"Liv, you look fantastic." He pulled her in for a warm hug. "Fitz, it's good to see you again, man."

They sat down for dinner. Chase caught them up on the progress of the film and documentary. He was planning on having both of the films finished in time for the Cannes Film Festival the next year, limited distribution in the fall, and hopefully a wide release sometime later. Olivia was going to have to stay a day or two longer than the trial, in order to shoot some interview style footage for the documentary. Olivia filled him in on their engagement. They talked lightly about the house plans and possible wedding dates.

Olivia knew that Chase had been following the trial talk and legal speculation like she had tried not to. As they were walking out onto the street, she asked him, "Do you think we have a chance? Honestly?"

Chase's smile tightened across his face. "I really don't know. I believe the facts are on our side. I just worry about the politics of it all. This is a trial against the system, with the system being the judge." He kissed her cheek in a half embrace. "Whatever happens, will happen, and the world will figure it out from there."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight."

Fitz and Olivia drove back to their hotel room. Olivia poured herself a glass of wine as they settled in bed. Olivia sat in between Fitz's legs as he put the TV on an old movie channel. As Fred Astaire waltzed his way across the fuzzy screen, Fitz slowly lifted the hem of her shirt up. She accommodated him, focusing more on the drama unfolding in front of them on the screen. He pulled the t shirt over her head and planted a tender kiss in between her shoulder blades.

Olivia drained the last of her wine. Just as she was turning to set her wine glass on the nightstand, she felt a cool smoothness spread across her shoulders. Fitz massaged the lotion into her back. All she could do was focus on setting the wine glass aside to safety as he relaxed her tense muscles.

Olivia turned in between his legs. She was way too wired to go to sleep, and she needed his physicality desperately. Her exposed nipples hardened against his chest hairs as she sought out his mouth. She intertwined her fingers in his, only to wipe off any excess lotion from his fingertips. Her hands wandered south of the waistline of his boxers to stroke his hardening member.

He grunted into her hand, knowing that her slick fingertips were moving way faster than he was. She was giving him urgent signals, so he took the lead. After pushing his boxers down his legs, he turned Olivia back around so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed and she was sitting on his lap.

Olivia arched her back and supported herself by his knees as she began to deliberately grind against his leg. He roughly grabbed her hips in his hands, halting her movements, and hoisted her up in the air over his rigid cock. She squirmed, desperately pleading with her body language to be fucked.

Finally, when Olivia was making incoherent begs, he pulled her down, roughly. Her screams of pleasure made his dick twitch inside of her. He let her set the pace with her hips as he focused on pleasuring the rest of her body. His hands palmed her breasts roughly and his fingertips pinched her nipples and his teeth scraped her back as she rode him reverse-cowboy. He slapped her ass loudly and used his fingers to trigger her clit as her orgasm spread through her glistening body.

Not completely through with her body, Fitz stood up and flipped them around so that her upper body was lying face down on the mattress, and her ass was hanging off of the end. He entered from behind again. Olivia's hands balled up fistfuls of the sheets as Fitz tangled his fingers in her hair, making her scream in pleasure. Before her first wave of ecstasy had passed, she was already overcome with more sensation, as Fitz matched her orgasm, spilling relentlessly into her.

He collapsed on top of her, and she welcomed his weight, kissing his knuckles intertwined in hers. Finally, he retrieved a warm wet washcloth to wipe them off with, and pulled them both under the clean covers.

"Sweet dreams, my Livvie." Fitz whispered as he kissed her forehead, knowing good and well that she was probably already fast asleep.

/

The next morning they rose and got ready together. Olivia was surprisingly calm, steady and quiet. Fitz knew there was a tsunami of thoughts crashing inside of her head beneath the apparent calm. As Fitz shaved in the mirror, Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back.

She chose a cream colored pantsuit to wear. She thought her usually affinity for the crispest white possible would be seen as too stark and as an obvious grab for innocence. Instead, she chose a subtle off-white color with a lavender blouse underneath. Fitz chose a dark navy suit to wear. He looked so damn handsome and suave to Olivia. She slipped her heels on, rising more to his level, and pulled him down for a kiss, breathing deep the smell of his cologne.

"Alright, let's go."

When they got to the courthouse, Olivia was in shock. There were so many people already gathering outside. Some with signs. Some with bullhorns. Every news organization was represented with vans, cameras, and bright lights.

"Here is fine." Olivia told the cabbie as they paid him and stepped out onto the curb.

They walked over to the coffee shop to find it completely packed. They ordered, and found Chase sitting along the wall with seats saved.

"This is crazy." Chase commented on the people as they sat down across from him. The noise was almost unbearable and it felt like a marketplace. Olivia could see how on edge Fitz was by the crowd. Since they didn't bring Hal with them, he knew it was his job to protect her from anything. With the high emotions involved, he had a lot to worry about.

"I talked to my publicist this morning. I'm not to say anything to the press before the trial. You are welcome to say whatever you want, if you feel like it."

Chase shook his head. "I'm fine. Nobody quite cares about me yet." He flashed a charming smile. "Give it a year or two."

"Well, we should go ahead and go in. With this crowd, we need to get in early."

They walked out of the coffee shop to cross the street. Immediately, the news stations picked up on her presence. Chase fell a few steps behind Olivia and Fitz. The reporters called her name as she walked by.

"OLIVIA! Olivia! How are you feeling about today's trial? What do you hope will come out of it?"

"Do you think Officer Ballard is guilty?"

"What do you have to say about the President's lack of involvement in the case?"

"How does it feel to be engaged?" One reporter shoved his microphone particularly close to her face.

She sidestepped it gracefully. Fitz went on the defense, subtly wrapping his arm around her waist, and positioning himself in between her and the reporters.

"Thank you," she mouthed to him. She wasn't planning on having to face the press on top of mentally preparing for the trial. She looked over to the Black Lives Matter protesters waving flags and chanting in unison on the other side of the barricade. She would much rather be a supportive spectator for once, than be smack dab in the eye of the hurricane. She saw a familiar face in the crowd.

It was Aaliyah Henry, the Georgia Tech student she met in her overnight stay in jail. She had flowers in her hair, like many of the other women, and was holding a poster board with _I matter!_ Written in bold red letters.

"Hold on, I need to go talk to someone." Olivia tugged on Fitz's arm, pulling him behind her towards Aaliyah. When Aaliyah saw her approaching, her face lit up in a huge smile. Olivia pulled her into a hug like they were long lost friends.

"Fitz, I want you to meet someone amazing. This is Aaliyah. She kept me company in the jail cell the night of the shooting. She's pretty cool."

"Nice to meet you." She extended her hand half out of shyness.

"The pleasure is mine." Fitz smiled back.

"How long have you guys been out here?" Olivia asked, referring to the other protesters.

"I've been here for about an hour, but I can't say the same for the rest. They are doing this every day of the trial. This is the only day I can, because of classes and my internship, but I'm happy to be here even for one day."

Chase walked over to them. "Hey, Liv, we should be getting inside now."

"Alright, I'll be right in." She turned back to Aaliyah. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Studying is all that is on my plate at the moment."

"Would you take a break, so that we could treat you to dinner? I want to hear about your internship."

"I would love that!"

"Let me get your number down, and I'll call you after the trial so we can figure out a time."

They exchanged information, before heading inside.

A police officer helped them get inside without delay. They entered the air conditioned building, and were escorted past the chaos of the lobby. They put their cell phones in a locker and entered the large courtroom. It was mainly empty, aside from a few others who were granted early access, and a few police officers.

There was nothing to do but wait.

She held Fitz's hand in her lap, drumming her fingertips across his palm increasingly as time passed. Finally, they let the public in, quickly filling up the rows.

Suddenly, the door at the front of the room opened and a police officer escorted Officer Ballard through to his seat. He was freshly shaven in an olive green, argyle sweater. Olivia automatically saw how they were setting him up to be perceived as a boy next door. He looked far too innocent to be a killer—a racist one at that. The room grew deadly silent as he made his way across the front of the room. He looked just as handsome as he did the day Olivia met him, but he sent chills down her spine for the monster he was. He sat down on the other side from Olivia, Fitz, and Chase. He leaned back in his chair and made eye contact with Olivia. That same smug smirk that she saw months ago. Olivia held his gaze for a solid second before averting her gaze to the judge.

The trial began and the jury was approved. With each minute of the trial, Olivia's would become more anxious. They presented the gun, several eyewitnesses, and the cell phone video.

Then it was time for Olivia to testify. Fitz gave her hand a comforting squeeze, but the rest was up to her. She followed the court officer to the stand.

"Please stand. Raise your right hand. Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do."

"Please state your full name for the record."

"Olivia Carolyn Pope."

* * *

 **So the rest of the trial will come next chapter. I've got some major responsibilities to take care of this week, so it might be a while before the next chapter. At least y'all will have the season premiere to hold you over, haha. Please review below!**


	32. On Fire

**How about that season premiere? Eh? Good shit, right? Some of it seemed like it was pulled from fan fiction (Clearly communicating their fears on the balcony? Like normal people? Crazy.) Anyways, I live.**

 **Along with TGIT coming back with some substance, Angel Haze released a new album. These lyrics eerily lined up with what happens in this chapter, so I might as well boost it while it matches.**

On Fire—Angel Haze

How you throw dirt on a seed and not expect it to grow, yo?  
Man, we come from the dirt, ain't no shining, just in photos  
I don't wanna live a life on fire and nothing to show for it  
If suffering makes a God, then let me know more of it

 **Also, I hope I get all of the legal language right in this. I skipped out on Mock Trial in high school because I hated my government teacher (he was a Republican lmfao). So bear with any mistakes.**

* * *

"State your full name for the record."

"Olivia Carolyn Pope."

"Proceed, your honor."

Jasmine Hilton was the assigned prosecutor on the case. Olivia shared a long phone call with her earlier that week, and found her to be very nice and professional. Jasmine assured her that she would ask fair questions. Now, she was standing in front of her with her hands methodically folded in front of her. She stepped forward, to the floor and smiled at the judge.

"Ms. Pope, Where were you on July twenty first at 3:06 pm?"

"Outside of Stuckley's Bar on Euclid Avenue, shooting a film."

"Did anything unusual happen?"

"Yes. We heard seven shots, so we all went inside for safety. When we didn't hear any police or ambulance sirens, we found the cellphone video submitted as evidence #4 on twitter. Then my director, a crew member, and I decided to go to the scene on McClendon Avenue."

"When you got there what did you see?"

"I saw Mr. Williams on the ground, dead. I saw that the crime scene was taped off, and people were beginning to gather around."

"Did you see Officer Ballard?"

"No, not initially."

"When did you see him?"

"After we arrived at the scene, I went into the Seven-Eleven across the street. I went to buy a bottle of water, but realized that I was still wearing my costume for the film, with no money. Officer Ballard walked up behind me, and offered to pay for it. He was very suave. He was practically hitting on me."

"Do you remember any of what he said?"

"At first he told me that I look just like Olivia Pope, not realizing who I was. After buying my bottle of water, we walked outside together. He said something along the lines of pitying the officer who shot Mr. Williams. That is when I ended our conversation and joined my friends."

"Did Officer Ballard show any remorse or regret at the time you first saw him?"

"No."

"If you had to describe his demeanor in one word, given your impression after your first meeting, what would it be?"

Olivia paused for a second, "Relaxed."

"When was the next time you came into contact with Officer Ballard?"

"After they handcuffed Mrs. Williams, Keilon's mother, I approached him to ask some questions. I recorded the conversation on my iPhone without his knowledge."

"Do you mind if we play it?"

"No."

Jasmine turned towards the bench. "I would like to present Evidence #8. Due to the low quality of the recording, I have provided a written transcript for the jury and bench." She presented a CD for the clerk to play over the speaker. Everyone waited in silence for the audio to kick in. Olivia looked across the crowded room to Fitz. His face was intensely focused on her. Once he noticed her gaze, he smiled and gave her a discrete thumbs up of encouragement.

The fuzzy audio recording filled the silence.

 _-Captain Ballard._

 _-Hello, Miss. Enjoying your water?_

 _-Yes. Can I ask you some questions?_

 _-I'm sure I can't answer every single one."_

 _-You can try._

 _-Could you at least give me your name before you grill me?_

 _-Olivia Pope._

 _-No, really. I'm not going to answer any questions if you don't cooperate._

 _-I'm serious. I was in the middle of shooting a film on the street over, when we heard gun shots. That man over there is my director. That is why I'm wearing these ridiculously hot clothes and didn't have my wallet on me._

 _-Well, then I feel like a bumbling hillbilly. I didn't know I was in the presence of Hollywood royalty._

 _-Can I ask my questions now?_

 _-Shoot._

 _-You might want to think of better word choice._

 _-Sorry. Ask away._

 _-What is the officer's name who fired the gun?_

 _-I can't answer that._

 _-Why not?_

 _-Protocol. This is now a crime scene, and civilians are not privy to all of the details._

 _-Why were shots fired?_

 _-I can't answer that._

 _-Why was there no ambulance or sirens after the shots were discharged?_

 _-I can't—_

 _-Answer that?_ (pause) _How come his cold body is still lying there three hours after he was gunned down? Can you answer that, Officer Ballard? What about his mother, who is now cuffed in the back of that squad car. What about her? Can you answer that? Or will it take weeks for the Atlanta Police to decide the safest story to tell us? How long will it take for you to perfect the story, effectively vilifying Mr. Williams and his mother?_

 _-Ms. Pope. I was just on the phone with the captain. He is aware of the situation and is sending backup. Once backup arrives, we will transport the man's body to a safer location and resume the investigation. As for the mother, I cannot say what will happen to her. She defied law enforcement, and should face the consequences for her actions._

 _-Consequences? Her son was just killed in the street, I think that whatever consequences you are thinking of should fall flat right now._

 _-She disobeyed the law._

 _-So did the officer that started this whole thing to begin with. But I don't see him slammed to the ground, publicly humiliated, and sitting in the back of the squad car._

 _-Ms. Pope, what do you want?_

 _-Justice, Officer Ballard._

 _-Backup is coming. That is all I can tell you. Now, the sun is starting to set. I suggest you go home, and stay there. I would hate for anything to happen to you. This is an unsafe neighborhood at night._

 _-Because of the police? Or the people. Because I see only one group being violent._ (pause) _Goodbye, Officer Ballard._

Jasmine turned back to Olivia. "Was there any change in Officer Ballard's demeanor?"

"He seemed more annoyed, primarily with me, by the end of our talk."

"Did you suspect he was the officer who fired the shots?"

"No."

"Was that the last time you came into contact with Officer Ballard."

"Yes."

"Thank you, Ms. Pope. No further questions."

The judge nodded towards the prosecutor before turning towards the Defense Attorney. "Does the defense have any questions for the witness?"

For the first time on the stand, Olivia looked at Jake. He was staring intently at her with his pale green eyes. Olivia only allowed a second of eye contact between them. Any more would either break her strong façade she had managed to maintain and make her either scream or cry. She wasn't sure which one.

His lawyer stood at the acknowledgement of the bench. "No, your honor."

 _Thank God._ Olivia thought as she returned to her seat.

"You did great." Fitz whispered, squeezing her hand.

"I need a drink." Olivia replied, only half joking.

I was only a little while longer before the court was adjourned for the day. They stayed behind, letting the crowd leave before them. Olivia didn't want to have to face the wolf pack of reporters outside. Instead, they exited out of the back, taking a discrete exit to a cab. Once in the cab, Fitz pulled her against his chest.

"You were incredible." He whispered into her hair. "I know how hard this must be—reliving those memories. But I am so proud of you for doing what is right."

"I don't want to go for the rest of the trial. Did my duty. I testified, but I don't want to watch the rest. I don't want to have to sit there, and…" Olivia trailed off.

"Okay, we don't have to."

"Thank you."

"Chase and I were talking. I want to help out on this documentary while we are here."

"How so?"

"I thought about your friend Aaliyah. How powerful it would be to include the perspective of an activist who is in the community and sees this stuff daily. He told me to pursue it."

"We could hang out outside with the protesters and shoot their perspective tomorrow for a little bit."

"I'll call Chase when we get to the hotel to figure out equipment."

When they got to the hotel, Olivia felt restless, so she went for a swim in the hotel pool. The cool water did a lot to cleanse her of the emotional baggage of the trial. The harder she kicked, the further from her problems she felt. It was like her own form of meditation. While she got her workout in, Fitz made some work related phone calls and sat on one of the poolside chairs, reading a book.

Olivia arose out of the pool. Fitz tossed her a towel.

"How was your workout, Nemo?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at his corny joke as she removed her swim cap. He noticed her smile was lingering longer than the joke.

"What?"

Olivia ran the towel over her body, her smile spreading to a blush. "I was just thinking about that one time at the athletic club, when you thought it would be cute to fuck me in the shower."

" _You_ thought it would be cute for me to fuck you in the shower." Fitz winked back at her.

"Whatever." Olivia threw her cover up over her head and grabbed her bag. "It was an experience I never want to go through again."

Fitz caught her arm as she tried to walk out of the pool room, pulling her against his chest. "You don't really mean that, do you?" His voice was low and at its sexiest. His breath tickled her ear, as she quickly looked around the room to see if anyone else saw his move. They were completely alone.

"Not really." Olivia teased. "But I'm not going to let it happen again."

Fitz's hand slid from her arm to the hem of her cover up shirt. He knew the effect of his simple movements. When they were in public like this, he knew his boundaries, but that just meant that the simplest of movements meant so much more.

"Our hotel shower, however." Olivia melted at his touch. "Has the same acoustics."

"It does, does it?"

"Yes Sir." She replied in a breathy voice, before briskly walking out of his grasp to the elevator. Once in the elevator, she stood on the other side from him. Their sexual tension was at a peak. Olivia watched the steel doors slowly close, and the next thing she knew, his body was pinning her against the wall. He didn't kiss her, not yet. Instead, he let his lips ghost around her chin.

It was electrifying.

His hands trailed down her sides, lighting fire and chills beneath them. She could feel his erection against her hip, which she had no doubt was the product of seeing her in her swimsuit. She parted her lips, tilting her head back, letting him know that she was ready to be kissed, but he didn't give in.

"Fitz—" She began, breathy and out of patience. The elevator was taking an eternity, and she had no idea what was running through his gorgeous head. _Why did they have to book their room on the highest floor?_

"I like it when you beg." He murmured, still refusing to kiss her.

The elevator dinged, and Fitz took her hand, leading her down the hall. When they got to their room, Olivia inserted the key, pulling him behind her. He immediately pinned her against the wall, sucking and biting her collarbone. Her cover up flew over her head. Olivia hitched her leg around his waist, grinding desperately. He still had yet to kiss her mouth and her lips were itching for him. His hand went down to cup her thigh, and she was being lifted. He carried her through the suite to a decorative table along the wall.

A lamp and vase flew to the floor as they devoured each other's bodies. The expensive décor was a casualty of their lust. Fitz slid the straps of her bathing suit down her shoulders, and she pulled her arms out of them, exposing her breasts to him. He gathered her wrists in his hands, raising them above her head. They both knew that there was no way they would make it to the shower.

They didn't notice the wall clock hanging above them, as it came crashing down on their heads. Fitz's reflexes deflected it to the floor. They watched it shatter to the floor in silence. They burst into giggles. Fitz tried to reclaim the mood as he lowered himself to her breasts.

"Fitz." Olivia looked at the clock lying on the floor. "Is that time right?"

"Who knows? It hit the floor pretty hard." He stayed focused on her nipple, circling it with his tongue.

"Grant." She used her safe word for him, pulling him off of her.

"Hmm?" He stood up, his eyes still hazy from his lust.

"The time. It's almost six."

"And?"

"Dinner."

"I was trying to eat…" Fitz rolled his eyes with the mock attitude of a teenage girl.

"I promised Aaliyah we would take her out to dinner."

"Shit."

"Yeah." Olivia climbed off of the table and pulled her phone out of her bag. She pressed quickly into the screen and held her phone to her ear.

"Aaliyah? Hey! It's Olivia. Yeah, I'm sorry that I'm just now calling you. We could pick you up in an hour? Great! You can choose. No, I insist! You know the area way better than me. Awesome! I'll see you then."

She hung up, looking back at Fitz, trying not to laugh at his expression

"I'll make it up to you tonight." She kissed him softly on the corner of the mouth. "I _promise_."

"Don't think I won't hold you to that at the fullest. You will pay."

"I don't doubt you." Olivia shot a wink over her shoulder as she pranced into the bathroom.

/

An hour later, they were sitting outside of a Georgia Tech dorm building as Aaliyah came to meet them. She showed them a quiet, casual diner near campus.

"I'm sure that this doesn't meet the swanky standards you are used to, but I swear the food is to die for." She apologized as they entered the restaurant.

The food was, in fact, to die for. They discussed politics and current events. Aaliyah told them her life story—how she was a first generation college student on academic scholarship majoring in engineering, and her humble home life. She talked about her internship teaching low income zoned schools about STEM research. She talked about how much she love the kids, so much it made her want to change her major to education at times.

"What did your parents say when you told them you were arrested back in July?" Olivia asked.

"They were terrified. They sacrificed so much to get me where I am today, and they were scared that it was all jeopardized. People like me just don't get second chances in this world. I might be living a couple hundred miles away, but I got a verbal lashing through that phone like they were in the room with me." She laughed softly as she took a sip of her sweet tea. "But they were also proud of me for standing up for what I believe in like that. They just have an old fashioned way of showing it."

"What would you say to participating in a documentary that Chase Flowers is directing on this whole case? We want to show the perspective of the protestors—the real grassroots behind the movement."

"I would be happy to. I have class the rest of the week, so I can't be at the court house, but I can give you the numbers of some of my friends who will. They would be happy to help. I can do whatever after class."

"Great!"

"So…" Aaliyah turned a bit giddy towards Olivia. "What is it actually like? Living your life." She blushed slightly before continuing. "I mean all of the glamour and prestige. Is it as great as us commoners think?"

"It is a lot of work. I mean it takes time getting used to the scrutiny and the camera flashes. You lose a sense of privacy that you never realized you had in the first place. There is so much work that goes into all of the events that look so effortless, that you can forget to have fun with it. But then again, you have a moment of clarity, when you are standing on the carpet in a custom Prada gown with a sea of people who just want to catch a glimpse of you. It is surreal. Or when you are in a room with these legendary giants that you spent so many years studying and learning from, and they are telling _you_ how much they enjoyed _your_ work. You get to work on these crazy levels, and you don't realize how great it is sometimes until retrospect. It is incredibly humbling, and somehow makes the whole thing worth it. It is crazy."

Olivia slid her hand to Fitz's thigh underneath the table. He intertwined his fingers in hers, his index finger tracing around her engagement ring.

"But if you surround yourself with the right people, then you have this incredibly blessed life that you don't deserve."

/

They dropped Aaliyah back off at the dorm. Before she got out of the car, she turned to hug Olivia.

"When you paid my bail and saved my ass like that, it was a second chance I didn't think I could have. I could never thank you enough. One day, I will pay you back. I know you are about to tell me not to worry about it, and I know you don't need it, but I will. Because it meant the world to me."

"I wish you the best. If you ever need anything, just give me a call. I mean it."

They hugged once more, then Aaliyah stepped out of the cab. Fitz hugged her as well and hopped in the backseat with Olivia.

"She's a special person."

"Yeah."

"She reminds me of you, to be honest. Both of you have hearts of gold."

"Thank you." Olivia smiled as she brought a hand to the nape of his neck and pulled his mouth to hers. "I love you so much."

They reached the hotel room. As Olivia flipped the light switch on, she noticed the mess they made earlier. The empty side table and the shattered décor laid there undisturbed from earlier.

"You are picking up the bill for this, Mister." Olivia joked as she did her best to sweep the mess under the table.

"They are going to think we had a boxing match."

"Or the steamiest sex." Olivia winked as she shed her jacket.

"Speaking of which, I think you owe me something."

"And what would that be?" Olivia feigned innocence as her eyes got wide.

"I could probably show you better than I could tell you." Fitz began to approach her with a purely lustful look in his eyes. Olivia squealed, running into the bedroom with him hot on her heels.

She tried to crawl across the bed, but he grabbed her ankle, pulling her back to him. He climbed on top of her, pinning her down to the comforter.

"I told you I was going to make you pay." He growled as he kissed her smiling lips. He bit her lip, tugging it, and making her back arch. He climbed off of her, and stood by the bed. "When I get back, I expect for you to be naked." He turned sharply and disappeared into the closet.

Olivia quickly removed her shirt and bra and slid her jeans off of her legs, dropping them to the floor by the bed. In nothing but her lacy panties, she moved to the center of the king sized bed and propped herself on her elbows and waited. Before long, Fitz returned in his boxers with one of his ties in his hand. It was cerulean silk and one of Olivia's favorites. It reminded her of his eyes, and the Bali Ocean that he proposed to her in. She licked her lips in anticipation as he climbed on top of the bed to her.

She submitted her wrists to him, knowing that she deserved whatever torture he was about to put her through. He bound her wrists, tying them to the bed frame above her head. She was practically panting as he let his hands wander down her beautiful body, hooking his pinkies around her underwear, and dragging them slowly off of her.

He spread her legs apart, taking in every exposed inch of her with his eyes. She was his. He bent down, kissing a trail up her thighs. He dragged a finger along the fold of her pussy, coating it in her juices.

"Taste yourself." He held his finger up to her lips as she dutifully sucked on it, moaning at his finger in his mouth. He smirked as he focused back on her exposed sex. Olivia left no filter on her mouth as she led him on with every lick and kiss and suck. He pumped two fingers into her without warning, curling them into her G spot. How he knew every single nerve point within her, she didn't know, but familiar stars of pleasure clouded her mind.

Her wrists protested against their constraints. All she wanted to do was touch his perfect body pressed against hers, but instead she was left to his mercy. He moved up her body, kissing a trail up her stomach. Her arousal was dripping from his face.

He reached her mouth, kissing her like she was begging him to earlier. She could taste herself on his tongue as he kissed her passionately. Olivia's fingers ached for his hair. Her fingernails longed to scratch along his back to express the sensations ripping through her.

"Untie me goddammit." She growled, her voice breathy and full of begging.

Fitz laughed as he reached up to unfasten the silk tie. Her hands fell down to his head as she ran her fingers through his thick curls, tugging them fiercely. She let her hand wander down his chiseled abs to push his boxers down.

His fully erect cock sprung forth and hit her in the thigh. She grabbed it, stroking him and spreading his pre cum around with her thumb.

"Careful." Fitz muttered as he lined up with her entrance. "Don't make me tie you up again."

With that, he entered her, filling her tight walls.

He found the perfect stroke, increasing his intensity every time. They peppered each other's faces with sloppy kisses. Olivia nibbled on Fitz's ear as they muttered sweet _everythings_ into each other's ears.

They timed their orgasms in unison. Fitz collapsed on top of her, and tried to roll over, but she kept her legs tight around his waist, holding his weight to her. She wanted to feel as much of him against her. They fell asleep in that position.

The next morning Olivia woke up a couple of minutes before their alarms rang off. She looked through the dim light at Fitz asleep. He was lying on his stomach and the sheets were bunched around his waist. She slowly pulled his arm wrapped around her to his side and rolled on top of his back. He smelled like after sex and his body wash.

She studied the dents made by his muscles. She drew between all of the sparse freckles like a game of connect the dots. It amazed her how much she could love this human being. Unconditionally. Irrevocably. Irrationally.

Without stirring, he spoke.

"How much longer until the alarm?"

"Seven minutes. How long have you been awake?" She kissed his shoulder blade.

"Since you have."

"We should get up."

"We shouldn't."

Olivia couldn't argue with that, as the only move she made was to disable their alarm. Their skin together felt too good. They watched the clock change from 5:53 to 6:02. Then to 6:14. Then to 6:25.

"We should probably actually—"

"Yeah, we should."

Olivia moaned comically as she rolled off of him and made her way to the shower. It wasn't long before they were laden with equipment and standing in front of the courthouse with the other protestors.

After meeting with Chase that morning, they talked about the direction of what they would be shooting. Chase went inside to the witness the trial. Olivia submitted herself to be Fitz's apprentice in his documentary process. They met up with one of Aaliyah's friends, and followed her throughout her morning. Olivia shadowed Fitz him through the crowd, interviewing protestors, and filming the whole process.

The air was tenser than the previous day. I was almost like people smelled the conflict and came running to watch. On the other side of the courthouse steps, a group of people gathered waving flags and character slandering signs. They waved signs supporting Officer Ballard and insulting their movement.

Olivia and Fitz documented everything. Olivia actually loved not only watching Fitz work, but helping him. It was like peeling back a layer of who he was and seeing how creatively his mind worked.

It wasn't long, however, before the press smelled her presence in the crowd. CNN and FOX swooped in, trying to grab her attention with questions. Olivia tried her best to ignore them, but they were distracting. Soon, the focus was more on her, the Hollywood superstar making a political statement, than the message they were trying to get across.

"This isn't working." Olivia muttered. "My presence isn't helping."

Fitz was getting antsy, worried about her safety. With a cumbersome, expensive camera in his hand, he couldn't easily get to her if someone got out of hand or tried to hurt her.

"Do you want to go?" Fitz asked.

Olivia nodded, pulling her phone out to order a cab. Fitz began to pack up the equipment.

"No." Olivia stopped him mid motion. "You should stay—if you want to. You have so much work to get done. I don't want to be the reason you can't document this."

"I need to make sure you get out of here safely."

"I'll be fine. You can walk me to my cab. I'll be fine."

"Okay." Fitz began to unpack what little he had packed up, when a person from the other side of the steps tossed an empty glass bottle at their side. It hit the police barricade, shattering into a thousand pieces. Fitz instinctively pulled his arm around Olivia, placing himself between her and the other side. The police swarmed to the middle to try to maintain peace, but their presence wasn't necessarily helping.

"Okay, we are getting you out of here."

Fitz and Olivia maneuvered out of the increasingly hostile crowd and walked past the blocked off streets to where here cab would meet her. A few paparazzi followed them, but kept their distance.

"You don't have to leave with me. I will be okay. If you feel like you still need more, then…" Olivia trailed off.

The Uber pulled up, and Fitz opened the door for her. He kissed her cheek, mindful of the photographers in the bushes.

"Text me the second you get to the hotel."

"Be safe out there."

/

As Olivia sat in her hotel room, she realized that leaving Fitz out there by himself probably wasn't the best idea for her own mental health. She had the TV flipping from news station to news station, watching the coverage. Even though the protests were remaining peaceful, the images of how quickly it turned on her last July were nagging the back of her mind.

She poured herself a glass of wine to settle her nerves as she watched the news over and over. She now understood how crazy it made Fitz when she was out there.

Hours later, when she heard Fitz enter their hotel room, her heart soared with relief. She met him at the door, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him urgently.

"Hi." He whispered as he reciprocated her kisses.

"How did it go? Was there any trouble?"

"Not really. It actually hurt my ego that once you left, the news stations stopped bothering me." Fitz smiled a lopsided grin, putting her at ease. "But I got some really good footage. I think it will go very well in the documentary."

"That's great." Olivia kissed him again. He could taste the wine on her tongue. He could tell how nervous she had been at his absence. But now he was safe with her. All they had to do was wait until the verdict came out.

/

 **THREE DAYS LATER**

Olivia, Fitz and Chase were sitting in the last pew of the courthouse. The jury should be coming out at any minute with the verdict. Olivia's palms were sweaty, and her throat was dry. Twelve humans walked into the room and the whole room held their breath.

The judge tapped her gavel, adding to the unbearable suspense.

"Has the jury reached a decision?"

One bespectacled man stood. "The jury has reached a unanimous decision. They find Officer Jacob Ballard to be not guilty of voluntary manslaughter."


	33. Leaves

**Hey, guys! Life has been pretty hectic for me lately, so I apologize for the wait (especially with how I left the last chapter). I was planning on having this chapter be comprised of two storylines/sections, but then the first part was long enough to be its own, yet still kind of short. Anyways, enjoy.**

Leaves—Miguel

The leaves, they don't change here.  
The leaves don't change here, so I never saw it coming.  
Winter hit me, Hiroshima, where did the sun go?  
Just the cruel rain pouring, you say that it's over.  
How could it be over, when I never saw it coming?

* * *

Olivia felt the air being sucked out of her lungs. She hunched forward, covering her mouth with her hands in shock. Some people ran out the door of the courthouse, to alert the press. Some yelled in protest. The judge clapped the gavel loudly. Oak on oak. Staccato and deafening over the excitement in the crowd.

"Order. Order. The jury is dismissed. Case adjourned."

The final tap of wood rang out like a gun shot. Olivia looked over at Chase, who had tears welling in his eyes. She, herself, couldn't cry yet. She thought about the night of her arrest. Being dragged along the asphalt like a hog tied animal. The officer's hand across her face. It was all in vain. The United States Justice System had just sent a message to the world that some lives mattered more than others, and some lives got away with awful things.

She felt like vomiting. Fitz's hand carefully touched her back, between her shoulder blades. His touch felt like the earth, pulling her down.

"Liv? Are you okay?" He feared she was having a panic attack.

She nodded, taking a deep, ragged breath, then repeating that motion until she steadied. He watched her pull herself together in a matter of seconds. She stood with them, and walked with the crowd out of the courtroom. They hung around the lobby, hoping the press would move on from outside. Olivia looked at Chase, who had yet to say anything. His usual charming and easy natured face was stone cold.

Olivia didn't know what to do, so she took his hand between her two, squeezing them to get his attention. When their eyes met, they communicated so much silently.

When they walked outside, the media was a frenzy. The police were swamped in trying to maintain the chaos. It only intensified when they walked down the steps. Cameras flashed and reporters intruded. Fitz instinctively wrapped his arm around Olivia's back, protecting her in his own way, but she shrugged him off, walking straight to the reporters.

"Liv!" He called after her, but it was too late. She had an odd stoicism to her stance as she singled out one reporter—a woman in her late forties with an independent crew.

"Olivia Pope! Ms. Pope!" The woman called frantically, trying to get her attention.

"Yes?" Olivia replied calmly. Fitz caught up to her, but stood diagonally behind her, not wanting to intrude. He was ready to interfere at any second, though, if things turned ugly.

"What is your opinion of the verdict?"

"It is sickening." Olivia replied. Her words were fierce, but her tone remained calm. "The American justice system failed us today. It failed Keilon Williams. It failed his family and community. It failed me and it failed you."

"So you believe Officer Ballard was guilty?"

"You saw the video. There was no evidence in the courtroom that overturned it. There was no weapon on his person. He made no movements that threatened Officer Ballard's life. It was a completely unnecessary show of force. I can't make sense of it."

"What do you think this trial will mean for future of similar cases?" Another reporter piped in.

"I don't know." Olivia replied earnestly. "Hopefully, we can learn from this mistake, and find justice for the next son out there who finds himself at the end of unnecessary force. Hopefully, we can progress. Thank you."

They walked away from the reporters to the car waiting for them. Once in the car, Olivia was dead silent. Fitz was at a loss for how to approach her. He figured it was best just to let her have some space.

When they reached the hotel room, Olivia still had yet to speak. She went to the bottle of wine she had opened the other day, pouring herself a glass. She downed it in a few gulps and went to pour her another. Fitz crossed the room, to her. He gently grabbed the neck of the bottle, preventing her from pouring any more.

"Liv…" He knew how detrimental it could be for her to drink in this state. He learned the hard way over and over that drinking to cope was never a good mix. "I don't think that is a good idea."

She looked up at him for the first time. Her eyes were so heart shatteringly sad, that his chest ached at the sight. He removed the glass and bottle from her hands, setting them on the vanity behind her. Her bottom lip began to quiver, but she refused to cry. She crossed her arms tightly across her chest in an attempt to control her emotions. He touched her shoulder, pulling her against him.

She didn't resist, but didn't fall into him. He wrapped his arms around her. He hugged her close for a long second. He felt sobs rip through her frame as she cried into his chest. He could feel her exhaustion rippling off her bones. She was so small in his arms and limp. He walked her to the couch, where he sat with her curled against his chest. All he could do was hold her as close as possible, kissing her hair soothingly.

Her sobs eventually subsided. She was quiet, but he knew she wasn't asleep by the feel of her eyelashes periodically brushing against his chest. Finally, Olivia rose and went to the bathroom. He heard the toilet flush, and the sink run, then she returned with her laptop under her arm.

"We should look over some details that our contractor sent us. I told him we would get back with him by the end of the week."

"Liv…"

"We need to decide on which land we want to make an offer on. I don't want to delay this any longer. The sooner we can put the wheels into motion, the better. It pretty much comes down to isolation versus convenience. Do we want to go out of our way for privacy? Or settle for neighbors, but not have to drive an hour to get to the city. I think I am leaning towards the Palos Verdes—"

"Liv…"

"What?" She kept her eyes focused on the computer screen, filtering through her emails until she found the ones she was looking for.

Fitz put his hands over hers on the keyboard, causing her to stop and look at him. He had unspoken questions behind his eyes, that he wasn't sure if he could articulate. The most pressing, _'are you okay?'_

"I don't want to talk about it. I want to sit here and plan out my future home with my future husband. I want normal. I want to argue over what our driveway will be paved with and what floor our workout room will be on. I want to decide on whether the isolation of the Palos Verde community will be worth the drive every day. For now, I want to forget about what cruel injustices we witnessed earlier. I don't want to think about what injustice we will face in the future. Because if I think about that right now, I might just…" She trailed off.

"I like the Palos Verdes lot too." Fitz conceded. "I think it is a good compromise. We won't have direct beach access, because it's cliffy, but it has prime location and isolation. And the view is nothing to scoff at."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I've only ever lived in Beverly Hills and Downtown, so it will be a nice change."

"Okay then." The corner of her mouth curved up into a smile as she went to compose an email. That smile was a victory for Fitz.

"Wait, what is that?" Fitz pointed to an email sitting in her inbox from the contractor titled _Stained Glass Top_.

"Oh yeah! I meant to show this to you. It is pretty spectacular." She clicked on it, opening attachments of sketches and reference images. "It would be the only thing on our third floor. It's a dome entirely made out of stained glass. He has this artist out of San Diego that would make it. It would be like a meditation room or whatever we want."

"Shit, that is gorgeous."

"Yeah, the only downfall is the price." Olivia winced. "It would cost approximately 2 million."

"Let's do it."

"Fitz… That's raises our bill to 8 million. It's too much."

"You know that money isn't an issue. We can afford this easily, and we haven't even put our own homes on the market yet."

They agreed to split the cost of everything 50:50. Fitz's net worth was way higher than hers, due to inherited wealth and simply being in the business longer, but Olivia still held enough to do this all on her own. The price of her lifestyle was nowhere near the multi-million dollar paychecks she was cashing for each film.

"It just seems like a lot."

"Do you want it?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then we are getting it." Fitz kissed her lips quickly, just as she opened them to protest further.

"Okay, then we are getting it." Olivia replied to the affirming it. She exhaled deeply. "This is crazy."

"What is crazy?"

"Our house. I mean, it's something out of a dream. I'm afraid that once we move in, we are going to die, because we will never want to leave. We will be one of those myths of hermits who haven't left the grounds in twenty years."

"Twenty years? Alone with you? No outside distractions?" Fitz joked. "Only twenty years?"

"I love you." She playfully punched his arm.

"I love you, too."

/

Olivia and Fitz sat in their first class seats in a stalling airplane on the tarmac. This was another trip to Georgia that left a foul taste in Olivia's mouth. A small scheduling delay was keeping them on the runway at a standstill. The pilot came over the intercom, letting them know it would only be a matter of minutes before they could take off.

Olivia pulled her phone out to put it on airplane mode, only to see in incoming call from Chase. She leaned against the window, trying to hide her phone from any of the attendants.

"Chase, what's up? What? What. Chase, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Olivia hunched over in her seat to hear the phone better. Fitz kept his hand locked in hers. "Oh."

She sat up straight. Tears welled in her eyes as her mouth fell open. "Wait, start over. Slow down… Holy shit… You are serious? Okay, no, go. We are about to take off. Do what you need. Goodbye." Now, tears were freely falling down her face, but an odd smile hung on her lips. "It is a good day." She laughed softly, realizing the streaks of tears on her face, and wiping them. "Goodbye, Chase. I'll call you when we land."

Fitz raised his eyebrows at her in confusion. She tried to speak, but broke into a smiling, crying mess. He rubbed her knee gently, giving her time to feel and pull herself together.

"They found tangible proof of bias amongst the jury. Apparently, there was some illegal pressure and low threats. They are having a retrial. With a brand new jury."

"That is incredible!" Fitz laughed. It wasn't a victory, but it was a rise from the defeat they felt earlier. "Do you need to go back? To re-testify. Holy cow, this is going to get so complicated."

"Nope. They have the transcript from my testimony, which will suffice. So we don't have to turn around."

"So… What do you think? Which way will it blow?"

"I don't know. I don't _want_ to think, because that would mean hoping. I mean, it could only get better. It's not like they could find him any _more_ innocent. I still don't think I have it in me to… hope." She smiled bitterly and went back to trying to fix her face after her recent cry.

"I do think they will get it right this time." Fitz offered, squeezing her hand.

"I hope you are right." She replied softly, struggling to say the word hope. He kissed her forehead, and she rested her head against his shoulder. The wheels of the aircraft began to rotate, and they were homeward bound.

/

When they got back to L.A., they immediately fell into the old swing of things. Fitz dove into the editing studio to make up for lost time on his film. Olivia resumed her studying; the GRE was only weeks away. The wheels were set in motion for their house, with the foundation being laid on the California coast. It was exciting and incredibly solidifying, as they knew that they were one step closer to being married. The evening air grew crisper and thinner as the year dwindled down. Olivia cracked open her box of white cashmere sweaters as she welcomed the season change.

Pretty soon, it was the week of Thanksgivings. Eli Pope's plane landed on Wednesday and departed on Friday. They kept in comfortable contact since they were face to face earlier. Olivia and her father weren't close or even fully comfortable with each other yet, but it was an effort headed in the right direction.

She was still terrified of what this holiday would hold. She knew that Fitz was scared shitless that Eli wouldn't approve of him. No matter how many times she reassured him that his approval meant nothing to her, Fitz was still nervous. Eli might have been a distant father, but Olivia still had emotional baggage there, and he didn't want to be the reason for any more.

It was Tuesday, and Olivia had cleaned her home for the fiftieth time. She invited Abbey over, to teach her how to prepare the food for their Thursday feast. Abbey was incredibly Scottish, but she was raised in Savannah, Georgia, and was a culinary expert. After being reprimanded by her friend for lacking basic knowledge of how a kitchen works, she grasped some fool proof dishes that were still serious enough for the occasion. Fitz signed up for the responsibility of the turkey, claiming to have some magical recipe that had been passed down generations in his family and perfected by him.

Fitz came over, after a tennis match against Mellie. He greeted Abbey and kissed Olivia briefly on the lips.

"Hi."

"Hi. Who won?"

"Mellie." Fitz poured a glass of water. "It was close this time, I swear."

"Mmmhmmm. You aren't even sweaty."

"It's freezing outside."

"It's like 60 degrees." Olivia scoffed. "Californians."

"New Englanders." Fitz quipped back. He left the kitchen to shower.

Olivia didn't even notice the blush across her cheeks until Abbey mentioned it.

"You two are nauseating." Abbey quipped in her own form of compliment.

"How is David?" Olivia changed the subject.

"He told me he loved me the other day."

"What?" Olivia squealed. "What did you say back?"

"Thank you." Abbey sighed. "It was every level of awkward known to mankind. Even my cat left the room. I think she suffered from secondhand embarrassment."

"Well…"

"Well, what?"

"Do you love him?" Olivia elbowed her like a school girl.

"It's not that simple."

"But it is."

"Maybe for you two sickening love birds. It's not the same for us."

"Abbey, it is okay if you aren't in love with him. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Fitz and I rushed into things the first time, and it ruined us. It took forever to get back to where we are now. There is nothing wrong with taking your time."

"Wait a second." Abbey tossed Olivia a side eye as she paused the mixer. "I thought you two met in January."

 _Shit._ Olivia thought. She had never told Abbey the whole story. At the time they went public, Olivia and Abbey weren't on the level they were on now.

"Actually, we didn't…um, five years ago, when I first moved here out of college, I auditioned for a role on Fitz's film. Then it fell apart shortly after. It was messy, and the worst thing I've ever been through, but I am glad we are where we are now."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's fine. I trust you. The point is, that if you want to take things slow, then do what is best for you."

"But I love him. That's the stupid thing about this whole thing."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh at her childishness. "Then it is fifty times simpler than you are making it. Tell him. You already know how he feels about you. You'll feel better once you do."

"Maybe so." Abbey conceded.

Fitz had showered and changed, Abbey had left and Olivia was cleaning up the kitchen. Fitz came up behind her, placing his hands on the counter on either side of her.

"You have been doing too much of this today." He kissed her shoulder.

"Too much of what?" She smiled as she turned around to face him, clasping her hands behind his neck.

"Cleaning. Let me help."

"You have been working all day. I can clean for a couple more minutes. Go relax and pour yourself a glass of scotch. I'll be done in a little bit."

Fitz ignored her, pinning her against the counter and seeking her lips. She forgot her protest, and let herself be kissed. One of his hands went to her hair, deepening the kiss. He paused, pulling back, but keeping his hand in her hair.

"What?"

"Is that cranberry sauce in your hair?"

"Really?" Olivia combed her fingers through her hair in embarrassment. When she found nothing, she saw Fitz's face reddening with a compressed laugh. He was making fun of her cooking efforts.

"Asshole." She threw a hand towel at him. "Fine. You get cleaning duty. I'm going to go take a shower."

He laughed as he picked up a dish to clean and she strutted away down the hall. Once he heard the water running, her phone vibrated on the counter. It was Chase. He didn't answer, letting it go to voicemail. Chase immediately called after, and Fitz stared at the phone. He didn't want to invade her privacy, but it seemed important. He swipe the phone and held it to his ear.

"Hey, Chase, this is Fitz. Olivia's busy right now."

"Well, she might want to get un-busy, I have news." His voice was anxious, but there was a tangible excitement to it.

"She's in the shower. What's up?"

"The jury came out with a new decision on the case. Jake Ballard was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. 10 years in prison. 10 YEARS. And the Department of Justice's investigation into the Atlanta Police Department is incredibly incriminating. Their investigation turned up hundreds of cases of racial profiling and seedy practices. It's fucking Christmas out here."

Fitz leaned against the counter as he heard the news. "Wow."

"Yeah, 'wow' it right. Listen, I have to go, but I wanted to let Olivia know through the phone. The news stations are about to combust with this."

"I'll let her know as soon as she gets out. Thanks for the call."

Fitz let the news set into his skin. He searched through Olivia's wine cabinet to find one of her favorites hidden in the back. By the time he pulled out two glasses and uncorked it, Olivia was standing behind him in her pajamas.

"Last time I leave cleaning duty up to you." She joked as she resumed the dishes he never finished. She noticed the bottle in his hand. "Fitz, that's du Bellay. It's a special bottle, don't open it right now." She reprimanded, as she reached for it.

"Chase called. He had some news."

"Oh." Her face fell.

Fitz led her over to the bar stools and sat down across from her, with her hands in his. "The jury came to a decision on the Jake Ballard case. They found him guilty. Along with the entire Atlanta Police Department."

He watched her face emote from concern to disbelief to pure joy. Tears welled in her eyes, sliding down her cheeks. He wiped one away with his thumb. Their foreheads touched as they kept eye contact. No words could be found, as he let her process the information. A smile broke across her face as she hugged him hard.

They won.

Olivia pulled back, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her pajamas. "Okay, what did you do with that bottle of du Bellay."

* * *

 **Did I spell du Bellay right? I don't know, but I hope you liked this chapter. I needed to bring some closure and happiness to that storyline. On to brighter things! The next update will bring Thanksgivings and Papa Pope. Please review below, and have a great week!**


	34. Love Yourz

**To make up for the shortness of chapter 33, here is a longer 34. I actually had a lot of fun writing this one, so hopefully you will enjoy it.**

 **Oh, and I just happened to notice that today is exactly the one year anniversary of this story! Yay! *pops a bottle of water because I have work in 5 hours and it is already 2am* For some reason, I'm still typing 34 chapters and 135,251 words later!**

 **But in all seriousness, thank you for all of you who have been here for 365 days. Through the deletion fiasco and** _ **everything**_ **. And thank you to anyone who has been tagging along since a later date. This story is a product of your kind reviews and beautiful encouragement.**

Love Yourz—J. Cole

No such thing as a life that's better than yours  
No such thing as a life that's better than yours  
No such thing as a life that's better than yours  
No such thing, no such thing

For what's money without happiness?  
Or hard times without the people you love  
Though I'm not sure what's 'bout to happen next  
I asked for strength from the Lord up above

* * *

Olivia kept her hand clasped in his on the way to the airport. He thought that he was the nervous one, but by the way she was tapping her thumb against his knuckles and pretending to listen to the radio so intently let him know she was way worse off.

She sighed, pulling her phone out to scan news articles. He wished that he could see into what was going on behind her mind. All week, she had been the calm voice of reason in his head, telling him to relax, but now that the big day was here, she was the silent wreck.

Her phone dinged. "He's waiting at Terminal D. At pick up." She texted him back that, with traffic, they would be there in about ten minutes.

When they pulled up to the pickup sidewalk, Fitz looked the man up and down that had to be her father. He was wearing a navy blue sweater with a crisp white button down. He looked every bit of a strict professor, with a thick coat draping over his arm—no doubt a remnant of Boston's late fall weather.

He parked the car, and Olivia immediately hopped out of the passenger seat.

"Hey, Dad." She said as she hugged him briefly.

"Hello, Olivia." He replied, responding to the hug.

Fitz observed the interaction. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't the way that a father and daughter should be greeting each other. He had to keep in mind that they hadn't sat down for a meal much less conversation in what must be nine years.

"Dad, this is Fitz." Olivia pulled away and motioned towards Fitz. "My fiancé."

Fitz extended his hand. "It's great to finally meet you, Mr. Pope."

"Eli, please."

"Eli." Fitz nodded. "Let me get your bags, and get back to the house."

As they drove to Olivia's house, Fitz kept up most of the conversation. Olivia, usually the one with the exceptional social skills of keeping up a conversation no matter what circumstances, was strangely silent. She answered, when asked, and piped in every now and then, but not as much as usual. Things were going well, but carefully well.

When they reached her house, they set him up in the guest room. Olivia and Fitz agreed on Fitz sleeping at his condo while her father was visiting. She knew that he wasn't naïve and she was a grown woman, but she didn't want to flaunt it in his face that his daughter was having pre-marital sex. That was one awkward conversation she wasn't in a rush to have.

She gave her father a tour of the house, showing him the beach and everything. Fitz's phone rang, so he stepped far off to answer it.

"Hello? What's up? … Why are you even in the office? … How much?"

Olivia could hear the irritation in his voice from afar. She was pretty sure a string of curse words were flowing through his mind.

"Alright. I'll be right in… No! Don't make a move until I'm there. Call Jocelyn from PR to meet us there… I'll call Angie. No, it should come from me. Hey, calm down. We'll figure this out." He hung up and walked back towards them.

"What's wrong?"

"We had a leak of some of the film. Not much, but a couple scenes. Rough cuts at that. I hate to have to leave right now, but…"

"Go. It's okay. Just let me know if you can join us for dinner."

"Will do." He kissed her cheek and said goodbye to Eli before making his exit.

Now they were alone. The awkwardness Olivia was fearing set in. She looked down at the sand in between her toes. "Do you want to go on a walk?"

Eli nodded as they started their stroll down the beach.

"How's the firm coming along?"

"It's going great. I'm only part time there now so I can focus on teaching. I'm not exactly getting into the courtroom anymore, but the firm itself is thriving."

"Is everyone still there?"

"Fairington is now working in the Mayor's office, but everyone else is still around. Sully, Patrick, Richard—"

"I always hated Richard." Olivia chuckled.

"I know. And you weren't subtle about it."

"I remember at that Christmas party you dragged me to when I was twelve, he gave me a doll for Christ's sake as my Secret Santa. A doll to a twelve year old! I was so over it all." Olivia laughed out loud at it all. "He always gave me bad vibes."

"' _Vibes'_? Is that one of the Californian colloquialisms you have picked up?" He asked, half kidding.

"Maybe." Olivia shrugged.

"Being out here has changed you." He noted.

Olivia shot him a look, trying to figure out what he meant by that.

"For the better." He caught her look. "I know you probably think I never really saw you when you were younger, but I did. Everything you were trying to be scared me, but now I see what you have accomplished—and I'm not talking about the flashy accolades—but who you are. You are happy. And that is all I ever wanted for you."

Olivia looked down at her feet treading the sand to avoid tearing up. "Thank you."

Eli looked away, just as uncomfortable with the sentimentality. "Tell me about your studies. Fitz mentioned you were thinking about USC."

"Yeah. I mean, it is close and a great school. I just don't know about admissions."

"I have some connections there, I could—"

"Nope. No, no, no. You aren't going to do that. This is something I need to earn on my own."

"Olivia, everything you have now." He gestured towards the home and the beautiful Pacific water sparkling in the afternoon sun. "Is because you earned it on your own. It's okay to ask for help if you think you need it."

"Thank you, but no. I want to do this on my own."

"God, you are so much like your mother." Eli whispered under his breath, but Olivia caught it.

"Let's go back inside. There is something I want to show you."

She took him into her walk in closet—everything neat and orderly.

"After I started to win these, I felt weird about where to put them. It would be so arrogant to display them in a glass case or something. I mean, people do, I've heard. With lights and everything, but I couldn't do that. So instead, they have been sitting in the corner, at the end of my shoe line. I'll probably find a place for them in the new house." She went on her tip toes to pull a shiny little man off of the shelf that was cluttered with other trophies and statuettes. She held out the Academy Award to him casually. "I just thought you might want to see it."

He held it in his hands. Looking its gold features over and testing its weight. He let a soft chuckle erupt from his chest. "It's heavy."

"I thought it was going to slip out of my hands the night I won it. Or that they would tell me there was a mistake once I got off stage and take it back."

"You are living the American Dream."

/

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting the impending headache. Attaching itself to the stress of the leaked scenes, the scenes just so happened to be the explicit sex scenes involving Angelina Jolie. In the context of film, they were beautiful, but shoved out into the public by themselves, they were borderline pornographic.

It was already nearing seven o'clock. He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Hi."

"Hey, I don't think I can make it to dinner tonight. I didn't realize how late it just got."

"It's okay. We were thinking of ordering takeout anyways. Do you want to talk about it?" Olivia asked, referring to the crisis he was facing.

"Thank you, but later. How is it going with your father?" He was worried, given her quiet behavior earlier, but her responding tone surprised him.

"Good, good. Don't worry about me. We are… bonding? I think that is the right word." A small laugh escaped from her lips.

"Great. I'm glad. So I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. What time are you thinking of coming over?"

"Around ten. If you could, just make sure the turkey is thawing out in the sink. "

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Goodbye."

He hung up, not noticing the figure behind him.

"Was that Olivia?"

Fitz jumped as he swiveled in his chair to face the lead actress, Angelina Jolie who was standing in the doorway. Her hair was pulled up in a sleek bun on top of her head.

"Yeah."

She nodded, leaning against the edge of his desk.

"I told you that you didn't have to come in. We are going to handle this for you. We are going to find who leaked this, or how it got out, and handle it."

"It's fine."

"No, it is not." He thought about how angry he would be if something like this was released of Olivia without the context of a film.

"Fitz, its fine. If you are worried about me feeling violated or whatever that these specific clips leaked, don't. I am okay. It isn't _ideal_ , but these visuals would eventually go on to be released to the public. I knew what I signed up for when I read the script. I'm okay."

"But when it is out of context, it isn't okay."

She waved her hand dismissively, "The world has seen my breasts before." Her voice held an almost sad acceptance to it.

"We are still going to get to the bottom of this."

"But that can be done at a later time. Now, go home. Be with your fiancé. Enjoy the holiday. We can sort this out on Monday."

Fitz nodded. "You do the same." She left his office, leaving Fitz alone. He wanted to go home to Olivia, but there was one more phone call he had to make. He used his office phone to dial the long distance number.

"Hello?" the voice came through.

"Hey, Aaron. This is Fitz Grant. I hate to call you tonight, but—"

"I saw, dude, I saw."

The Silicon Valley billionaire had been very hands off about the film, despite funding it. He popped in a couple days of shooting, but remained the gracious benefactor.

"I just wanted to call to let you know that we are going to take care of this."

"Alright. Just keep me updated on how it goes."

"Actually, I have a question. Could you recommend someone to do a security sweep of our systems? I want to get to the bottom of how this got out. I can fly someone down here on Monday."

"Yeah, of course. I'll send a guy to you. I'll email you his details."

"Thanks. And again, I'm sorry. Have a happy Thanksgivings Day."

"You too. Say hi to Liv for me."

"Will do."

He called a few PR people into his office to strategize a makeshift damage control to hold over the weekend. By the time everyone went home, content with what they had set up, it was almost nine.

He called Olivia, knowing it was too late to make it for dinner or even stay for long. Yet, he still wanted to see her.

"Hi, baby."

"Hi. What are you up to?"

"We are just watching the news. Are you still at the office?"

"I'm leaving now. I am going to swing by for a bit."

"You don't have to. It's late, and I would understand if you are too tired…"

"Livvie, I want to kiss you." He interrupted, bluntly. "And I am driving to your house so I can do so." He could feel her blushing through the phone.

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit."

Long after Olivia pocketed her phone, the smile hung on her lips. Eli noticed it, and she noticed Eli noticing it.

"What?"

"Nothing." Eli paused. "You really love him, don't you?"

Olivia nodded, "More than anything."

"I've never seen you so head over heels before. All the boys you brought home in high school—or let me correct myself— _didn't_ bring home because you didn't want me to know, you never game them as much of yourself as you give Fitz."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I met your mother through work, but you knew that. She was the secretary for one of the major law firms I interned at in law school. At the time, she was in her early twenties, living it up with all of these suitors." He laughed. "These boys would bring by flowers and chocolates, or show up desperate because she stopped calling. It was almost comical. She was so beautiful and had this swagger about her—this genuine confidence. I watched and waited for the right time. I thought that when she gave me a chance, I would surely end up like all of the other spurned lovers. I loved her from the first day, so it was worth it for me. Yet, as we dated, she slowly opened up to me. She started to invest herself me in ways that I didn't know she could. I knew from the beginning that she was the one for me, but that told me that I was the one for her. I see the same in you. So much it hurts."

Olivia nodded at his words. The next thing she asked surprised even her. "When did you know you wanted me? A child?"

"To be honest, and don't take this personally, but I never wanted a baby. They overwhelmed me with all of their messiness and lack of communication. But the eighties were a different time period. Society as a whole had a lot more influence on a woman's timeline. I don't even know if your mother wanted a child. I never asked. It was just the natural thing to do, so we did. But the day you were born was… Amazing. All of my fears went away, and I was just so proud of your mother and what we created."

Olivia looked down at the fringe of the blanket on her lap, accepting his words. Eli caught on to her apprehension surrounding the subject.

"Does he want children?"

"Yes."

"Do you?"

Olivia didn't answer at first. She tried to find the words, but couldn't. "I don't know." She finally said. "We have talked about it. I told him I didn't, and he was okay with it. I just feel so guilty. I don't want to be trapping him into something he doesn't want. I want to give him everything he wants, because he deserves it."

As much as she tried to stop, a tear fell down her face. Eli held his arm out. "Come here."

She looked at him apprehensively. She couldn't remember him being affectionate or even comforting her entire life. She slowly shifted across the couch and rested her head against his chest. It was weird and awkward, but it was what she needed.

"I don't want my parenting techniques to be your guide to your life. After your mom passed, I was at a loss for how to raise a preteen girl. Your mother was always the affectionate caregiver, and I didn't know how to balance that on my own. I failed you, and I'm sorry. But I don't want your broken memories of what parenting is like to hold you back from your life. I have no doubt that you would be an excellent mother."

"Thank you." She whispered.

/

By the time Fitz arrived, they decided to play an entirely too competitive game of cards. After Eli had racked up his pile of popcorn kernels, their game's currency, he stood.

"I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. Goodnight, losers." He patted Olivia on the shoulder, before retiring to his room.

Olivia swept up the cards, popping a few kernels into her mouth.

"I should probably be getting home."

"I'll walk you out."

Olivia walked him out to his car. Before he made it to the driver's side of the car, he pulled her against his body, leaning against the hood. She giggled at his smoothness, as his hand found their hold along the small of her back, slipping down to her ass.

Olivia didn't hesitate in giving him what he wanted, kissing him. Their kiss was slow breathless. Fitz kissed her until they were both desperate for oxygen. Olivia broke the kiss, gasping for air.

"Hi." She breathed, barely against his chin.

"Hi." He whispered back. Just as softly.

"You are really stressed." Her fingertips gently touched the corners of his eyes and mouth. He didn't reply, but instead closed his eyes and exhaled. Her body pressed against his was enough of a remedy for all of his problems at the moment. Suddenly, her mood shifted as she began to kiss along his chiseled jaw line. Her lips reached his ear, where she uttered the four sexiest words he had ever heard her say.

"I can fix that."

She intertwined her hand with his, pulling him to the backseat of the car, where she pushed him in. She crawled in after him,

Her hands moved to his waistline as she unbuckled his pants. Fitz lifted his hips, helping her pull his pants down. She settled in between his legs. Her hands expertly stroked him to his full length. She bent down, wrapping her hands around his base as she kissed up and down his shaft, not lingering anywhere for too long.

When she swirled her tongue around his tip, Fitz let out a hearty moan. He needed this. She began to slowly take her into his mouth, swallowing more of him with every stroke. His hands went to pull her hair back. She let vibrations rumble through her throat as she took as much of him as she physically could.

Fitz was in heaven, his eyes shut and incoherent curses of pleasure tumbling out of his lips, as she prepared to finish him off. He hit the back of her throat as she caressed his balls. He came in her mouth, and she swallowed every drop, mindful of the stain it would leave on the fine leather upholstery of his car.

As he sat there, panting, eyes closed from the lingering pleasure, she grabbed a napkin from his console and wiped her mouth. She kissed his cheek. "Drive safe, baby. Text me when you are safely home." With that, she hopped out of his car, and walked inside, leaving him amazed.

/

They next day was spent in the kitchen cooking, with Christmas music playing through her Bose system, and the Macy's Thanksgivings Day Parade playing in the family room. It was the beginning of new traditions, but they felt like old ones that had been happening for years. They all pitched in, making different dishes.

Olivia set the table, laying out the fine chinaware that she never used. As she struggled to light a malfunctioning match to light the candles, she felt a hand touch her ass inappropriately.

"Allow me." A ridiculously sexy voice murmured in her ear.

He took a fresh match out of the box and held it in her hand, wrapping his around hers. He lit the match for her, holding it to the candle wick.

"Whatever would I do without you?"

"Have a mediocre turkey for Thanksgivings, that's for sure."

Olivia rolled her eyes at how much he was building up this turkey. "This damn bird better give me eternal youth and beauty or something by the way you keep talking about it."

"You already have eternal beauty." He kissed her smirking mouth.

"Good answer." She replied, patting his cheek. A timer dinged in the background, pulling her away from him. "Let's see if my cooking doesn't kill us."

They laid out the food and sat down with Olivia at the head of the table. Fitz was to her left and Eli was to her right.

"Alright." She smiled softly, and Fitz couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked in her white turtle neck with the candle light flickering across her smooth skin. "Let's go around the table and say what we are thankful for."

She extended her hands across the table. They each took her hands in theirs.

"I'll go first." She paused, taking a deep breath. "This past year has been such a huge blur of blessings. One after another, that if I were to list them all, this turkey would go cold. I'm thankful for my career. I put in my hard work, but it seems like I reaped more than I could imagine. I'm thankful for the friendships I have formed. I'm grateful for the man sitting to my right. I'm looking forward to sharing my life and all of these blessings with you. The man to my left, well, words can't nor ever will cover it. You have gotten me through some rough things this last year, and you have been there for me through all of it. You are my everything. I can't wait to take the rest of life's blessings with you." She squeezed his hand. "Who's next?"

"I'll go." Fitz smiled. "I'm grateful for all of the material wealth I have. I am truly blessed in a way that most people aren't. But above that, it means nothing without the woman I love. I am grateful that she, for some crazy reason, loves me back. Because that makes everything worth it."

He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it. His thumb tracing around her engagement ring, making her smile.

"Your turn." She nudged her father.

"I am grateful for my beautiful, successful, caring daughter, who was kind enough to give me a second chance at this whole father thing. I am also grateful for the man sitting across from me. I've seen a lot of couples in my life who are together for the wrong reasons. Money, convenience, fear. You two are none of the above. Thank you for making Olivia happy."

"Now that the sappy stuff is out of the way, let's eat."

And they ate. An ungodly amount, over lively conversation. Afterwards, they watched the Panthers play the Cowboys on the television. Fitz brought a special bottle of scotch to share with Eli, one that he had been saving for a while.

"Mm. That's good." Eli nodded after his first sip. "But I have something that would make it better." He got up and disappeared down the hall to his room. Within seconds, he returned with a shoebox in his hands. "I wasn't sure how this week would go, but I came prepared. I figured it was my rite as the sole parent of Olivia to share her baby photos with you, just so you know exactly who you are marrying."

"Oh my—" Olivia began in protest.

"You don't get a say in this." Fitz cackled as he saw her reddening face.

"Please don't."

"Too late." Eli said as he lifted the lid. "I just opened Pandora's box. Let's start from the beginning." He pulled out a picture of Olivia as a baby in a bib with mushy bananas covering her face. "This one is a personal favorite."

"I hate both of you." Olivia pulled a blanket over her face.

"Wait a minute." Fitz held up the picture, snickering. "Liv, let me see your face. I want to do a comparison."

"Not happening." Olivia mumbled from behind the blanket.

"What about this one?" Eli held up one of her when she was three in a gloriously dated outfit, surrounded by pumpkins in what appeared to be a fall themed glamour shot from the mall. Fitz was in stitches.

"What." Olivia lifted her head up, trying to keep a mad face on. "Oh god."

"What?" Fitz was red faced from laughter. "You were adorable. Look at those cheeks."

"She had those cheeks until she was in high school."

"Did not."

"I have pictures to prove it."

"Ugh." Olivia threw a decorative pillow at her father, but Fitz deflected it.

"Show me more."

"Here is a time jump. Presenting Olivia Pope in her angsty pre-teen years trying to act like a grown ass woman." Eli handed Fitz a picture of Olivia around thirteen with a load of nineties-esque makeup on her face with an annoyed look on her face.

"Can we put this on the fridge of our home?"

"No." Olivia rolled her eyes in jest as she turned the volume up on the TV, pretending to be involved in the game.

"He was right about your cheeks."

"Look. Cam Newton just scored." Olivia pointed to the screen.

"You were actually on the swim team." Fitz pointed to a picture of her proudly holding a medal and cheesing the biggest smile he had ever seen.

"Best damn kicker on the team." Olivia mumbled.

The next picture was of a seven year old Olivia and a woman in a park on a picnic blanket. The young Olivia had her head resting on the woman's lap. The woman was reading a copy of a Nancy Drew mystery.

"Is this your mother?"

"Yeah. I think she read every single Nancy Drew book ever made to me."

"She is beautiful. Just like you." He kissed her nose, causing her to blush and forget her faux madness.

They spent the rest of the night drinking scotch and laughing at Olivia's awkward and adorable childhood. As it got late, Eli went to his room to retire, thanking Fitz for the excellent glass of Scotch.

Olivia remained curled into Fitz's lap as Sports Center took over the TV, analyzing the day's games.

"You know that you are going to have to repay me, right? I expect copies of every embarrassing picture of you before our wedding day."

Fitz winced. "Are you sure? I didn't have hair until I was at least three."

Olivia reached up to run her hand through his thick curls. "I find that hard to believe."

Fitz traced the features of her face, wishing that he could have been there to see her cute childish features transform into the beautiful face it was today. He traced her brow, down her nose. His ring finger ghosted over her lips, which she parted ever so slightly. Her breath warmed his fingertip.

"Penny for your thoughts."

Olivia didn't respond at first, but he knew she heard him. Her mouth opened like she was about to speak, but it was a couple seconds before she formed words.

"Do you remember when we were in Brooklyn earlier this year? For the Jay Z video premiere?"

"Yeah."

"In the hotel room that night, or I guess the next morning, when I woke you up in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah." Fitz's brow crinkled at where she was going with this. He thought about that night often.

"I think I've changed my mind."

"What?"

"I want to have a child with you." She said simply and almost matter-of-factly.

Fitz's fingers stilled against her cheekbones. "Really?"

"Not now. Or next year even. I want to get my graduate degree. I want to marry you. I want to be completely selfish and have you to myself for a while. But someday, down the road, I want to carry your child and share a tiny human being with you."

She sat up, facing him. His eyes were moist with emotion. "Really?" was all that he could say.

"Really."

* * *

 **I thought it would be interesting in exploring what parent gave Olivia what part of her etc. as well as resuming the journey to sort out her conflicting ideas on motherhood. I know that this was a long time coming, but the Olivia of chapter 19 (when she told him she wasn't comfortable with kids) has since gone under a lot of growth especially with her relationship with her father, which is where a lot of her anxieties came from.**

 **To leave you on this note, it might be a while before I update next. *coughs awkwardly while looking at the pile of responsibilities I abandoned as I got too caught up in this one* But it will be as soon as I can, responsibly! Lemmmme know what you think below!**


	35. Rockstar

**Okay, so in no way did I intend for this chapter to be so long and to be finished so quickly (don't get used to it lol). Season 5 has just been so amazing that I have been super inspired by various things. I got a little carried away with the first half, so some of this chapter will be carried over into the next one.**

 **The song was also brought to my attention as a throwback, so I've been bumping 2009 Rihanna throughout my apartment all week haha.**

Rockstar 101—Rihanna

Rocking these diamonds  
I'm rocking this chain  
Make sure you get a picture, I'm rocking this fame  
To be what you is, you gotta be what you are  
The only thing I'm missing is a black guitar.

* * *

 **A COUPLE OF WEEKS LA** **TER**

"I don't care how cute Liv says he is." Mellie served the tennis ball to the opposite side of the court.

"Wait… Liv said he was cute?" Fitz feigned jealousy, as if there was any way that she could have eyes for another man.

"Relax, Othello."

"What do you have to lose?"

"I already told you that I'm not looking for that right now."

Fitz kept the rally going with a roll of his eyes, "It's been like eight months."

"This isn't about Andrew." Mellie swung, but the ball flew way over Fitz's head, hitting the fence.

"40, love." Fitz smirked as he popped the ball over to her. "I wouldn't be setting you up, if I didn't think Chase is a solid guy." She served the ball again. "You aren't getting any younger." He returned it.

She slammed the ball into his ankles, making it impossible to return. "Funny."

"I just want you to be happy. I mean Liv invited him here for Christmas. It would be rude to just ignore him."

"15, 40. Fine. I'll give him a shot."

"Thanks. Just for that, I might let you win today."

"Yeah, right." Mellie won another point. "30, 40. Did you ever get to the bottom of the leak?"

"Yeah. Aaron's guy traced it to some 16 year old prankster nerd in Pasadena. He was testing his new hacking gadget computer thing he made, so he decided to try my studio. He apparently had a romantic thing for Angie, which is totally gross, but she was pretty chill about the whole thing. She was more apologetic, because in her mind, she twisted it into being her fault which is ridiculous."

"Holy shit, that's disgusting. Have you pressed charges?"

"I wanted to, but she didn't. Instead, our guy sent this hilarious faux warning from the FBI to his laptop. The poor guy probably shit his pants. Then he sent a virus that wiped out everything he had written for the software he created. Probably everything he'd worked on since middle school. I think it's safe to say that he won't be hacking anybody's system anymore."

"Deuces. Honestly, that's probably better than having to get involved legally."

"Yeah, I mean it ended up garnering a bunch of positive attention from the public for our film. It still makes me uncomfortable how it happened."

"My ad." Mellie smirked as Fitz hit the ball into the net. "And you can't control everything. It wasn't your fault."

Before Fitz could respond, they were engaged in a tiring rally. Fitz struggled to reach a tricky shot she made, but managed to lob it up in the air. Seeing the intense look of satisfaction in Mellie's eyes as she approached the soaring ball made him sure that it was the end. She spiked it to the corner out of Fitz's reach.

"Match point. I win. You lose."

"I told you I would let you win."

"How is it that even when you lose, you are still so damn arrogant?"

"One of my many shining qualities." He tossed her a water bottle as they walked towards their cars. "See ya later."

Fitz drove down to their lot where the house was being built. Even though the workers were still on the framework, he wanted to see the progress. It somehow solidified the entire thing. As he pulled up to the land, he was amazed by the progress already. They dished out a couple extra thousand dollars to hire more workers to shorten the building time. They wanted to get married as soon as possible. He spoke briefly with the contractor, obtaining a hard hat. He spent the next thirty minutes or so just walking around the house, taking it all in.

"Hi." He heard her voice behind him at the same time that he felt her arms wrap around his torso.

"Hi." He took her hands in his. "How did you know I was here?"

"I put a tracking chip behind your ear while you were sleeping."

He looked over his shoulder at her in a matching hardhat with a smile on her face.

"Kidding. I just wanted to come out here to see the progress. I didn't know you were going to be here."

"How has your day been?" He turned around and pulled her hardhat back to kiss her nose.

"Well, I checked for my scores, they weren't up. So I went for a run. They still weren't up. Then I went for a swim. Nope. So I did a little cleaning, and they still weren't up. So here I am. With no GRE results yet."

Fitz softly rolled her shoulders between his hands. "You realize that you still have five more potential days of worrying. Just relax and try to forget about them."

Olivia sighed, relaxing a little bit beneath his kneading hands.

"What are your plans for tonight?"

"I don't know. What are your plans?"

"Well I was hoping to take my fiancé out to dinner, but if she would rather sit in front of her computer, clicking the refresh button, then I understand, I guess."

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck, going on her tip toes to kiss him. "I would love dinner."

"I'll pick you up at 6:30."

"Deal."

/

That evening Fitz showed up at Olivia's door with a bouquet of calla lilies that night. The look in her eyes when she saw him standing there in a suit with flowers in his hands—like something out of a GQ editorial—almost made him laugh. She was wearing a very flattering fit and flare dress in a dark burgundy color. Her hair was styled in a low, romantic bun at the nape of her neck.

They stood there in the doorway looking each other up and down for a solid second, before realizing their own foolishness.

"Do you want to come in?" She bit her lip softly in amusement.

"That's one of the things I want to do right now."

Olivia side stepped to let him pass the threshold. "What else?"

"I want to give you these." He held out the bouquet, which she took to her nose, inhaling the strong fragrance.

"And?" Her lips curved into a slight smile

"This." His hand grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. He softly nudged her face upwards with his before brushing his lips against hers. Once, then twice, until she finally gave in, kissing his lips. His arms wrapped around her lower back, pulling her against him.

"I should get my coat." She laughed softly as she pulled away. "And put these in some water."

"Hey," Fitz pulled her back to him, his hands running down her back. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she mouthed, blush rising to her cheeks. He kissed her cheek as she went to retrieve her white trench coat.

They rolled up to the restaurant, and Fitz opened her door for her as she got out of the car. He was always chivalrous, but each time it made her smile. As they sat and ate their five star dinner, Olivia couldn't help but be distracted. She appreciated his efforts to make her forget about the GRE results that could be released at any minute—and she planned on proving it to him later—but that didn't keep her from having her phone on vibrate in her lap, checking her emails every few minutes.

"Olivia?"

"Hm?" She looked at him mid-bite of her entrée.

"Hand me the phone."

Olivia shamefully slid her iPhone across the white table cloth. "Sorry."

"What will be, will be. Now quit—" He was cut off by the buzz that vibrated both of their fingertips. The screen lit up with the tiny mail icon.

LOG IN TO YOUR PORTAL FOR YOUR GRE RESU…

They both looked at the phone, frozen, until the screen faded to black again.

"Can I?"

Fitz slid the phone back in her direction, giving her his permission.

Her fingers turned clammy as she accessed the portal on her phone. Fitz watched her face intently as her eyes darted around the screen absorbing the information.

"166 in verbal reasoning. A 5.5 in writing. And a 162 in quantitative reasoning." The biggest smile broke onto her face as she wriggled in her seat suddenly giddy. "I did it. My goal was to break 160 in both categories. I did it."

Fitz took her hand in his. "I am so proud of you. You are brilliant."

Olivia took a deep breath, squeezing his hand and getting her emotions under control. "This is only a step. I still have to be accepted."

"And you will be. With those scores, your resume, and your supplemental materials… Any school that doesn't accept you is an idiot."

Olivia opened her mouth like she was going to speak, but then just smiled. Fitz wished they weren't in public, so that he could jump across the table and kiss her.

They finished their dinner quickly, in a mood the get away from the swanky atmosphere of the Melrose restaurant. Fitz drove them to his condo in the city. He pulled a bottle of champagne out of the back his fridge. He poured two glasses and handed her one.

"To my pretty, smart fiancé. Olivia, you are an exceptional human being."

"To your pretty smart fiancé." She giggled as she clinked her glass against his and took a sip.

Fitz reached down to kiss her lips. Olivia obliged, licking his lips and rubbing her body against his.

"Fitz?" She didn't pull her face away from his.

"Mm?"

"I feel like dancing." She softly nibbled on his lip. "I spent too long cooped up, studying for that stupid test and I want to go out."

Fitz pulled back, with a glint in his eye. "Then let's go dancing."

/

Forty five minutes later, a driver dropped them off at the entry to one of the hippest L.A. clubs. This was something they usually never did, but Olivia was pretty buzzed off of the champagne that she didn't care. Once they got inside Fitz bought them a round of drinks. As soon as she downed the sugary concoction, the DJ started to play the throwback "Rockstar 101" by Rihanna.

Olivia got a childish smile on her face as she dragged him towards the dance floor. Fitz quickly drained the rest of his whiskey down his throat as she pulled him into the crowd.

It was crowded and everybody else was sweaty, but to Olivia and Fitz, they were the only ones around. The darkness of the club granted them anonymity. Olivia let her usual public reserve at the door as Fitz pulled her body against his. His hands were on her hips as she swayed them to the beat. She sang along.

 _Rocking this skirt  
Rocking this club  
Got my middle finger up  
I don't really give a fuck_

Fitz shamelessly groped her ass as she threw her arms around his neck.

 _Oh, baby Imma  
Oh, baby Imma  
Oh, baby Imma  
Oh, baby Imma_

She turned around, grinding her ass against his crotch. His hands were everywhere on her body as they danced in sync for a couple songs. Fitz began to kiss along her shoulder as she reached behind her to grab a handful of his curls. He turned her around so that they were face to face.

Olivia grinded against his leg as she pulled his mouth to hers. With the lights swirling around them, the beat vibrating the air, and the alcohol clouding her mind, it felt surreal. Fitz felt themselves getting carried away, so he pulled back.

"Let's go sit down."

"Let me go to the bathroom first."

"Okay. Meet me by that post over there when you get out."

Olivia went to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror. As she rotated, making sure that nothing had spilled on her dress, she noticed the girl standing next to her reapplying lipstick. She was in a tight black dress with her afro pulled up on top of her head. Extending from her shoulder blade down right arm was a tattoo of a snake. There was something about her that made Olivia want to know her. She tapped on her back.

"Hey, excuse me, I love your tattoo! That is so neat!"

"Awe, thanks! I designed it myself."

"Really? You are an artist?"

"A tattoo artist. I have a shop downtown."

"That's so cool."

"Thanks." She smiled genuinely. "I'm Evelyn."

"Olivia." She extended her hand.

"Oh my god. You are Olivia Pope." Evelyn's buzzed mind made the connection

"Yeah."

"Who are you here with?"

"It's just me and my fiancé."

"Well, listen. My friends have a VIP booth on the upper level. Come with us!"

"Okay!" Olivia squealed excitedly. "Let me go get him."

They found Fitz right where he said he would be.

"Hi." He yelled over the loud music.

"Hi. Meet my new friend Evelyn."

"Hi, Evelyn."

"Hey."

"She has a VIP booth reserved, and she wants us to go hang out with her friends."

"Okay."

They went to the upper balcony overlooking the dancefloor. There was a collection of eclectic souls lounging around and dancing. They sat on the plush couches and hung out. Bottle service girls kept the drinks flowing. They took pictures with the other people and danced to the music.

Evelyn took out a special looking pen from her purse. "Can I give you a tattoo?"

Olivia's eyes widened, "I don't think that with my profession, it wouldn't—"

"Relax. It's temporary. It will fade in a couple of days."

"Okay then." Olivia squealed, excited to be a canvas.

Evelyn, despite her drunkenness, focused intently on drawing on Olivia's wrist. It wasn't long before a beautiful drawing encompassed Olivia's wrist.

Olivia sat with her legs crossed over Fitz's. She rested her head against his arm extended across the back of the couch. He leaned over to kiss her, she ran her fingers through his hair. Her wrist fell innocently on his crotch. She could feel him hard through his pants, which turned her on immensely. Everyone else was too drunk to notice them in the corner making out. Her hand was rubbing slow circles over his crotch, and she was practically straddling him.

"I think" Olivia trailed sloppy kisses along his jawline, down to his neck. "That we," she increased the intensity of her hand movements, causing Fitz to moan softly "Should get the fuck out of here."

"I agree."

"I texted Hal a couple of minutes ago. He's waiting outside."

Fitz helped her stand as they said goodbye to everyone. When they got in the backseat of the black Cadillac SUV, Olivia noticed something different about the car Hal usually used to drive them around.

"This is new." She slid the partition back and forth.

"I figured you would appreciate the upgrade." Hal, who was usually dead silent—seen not heard— said with a slight smile.

"Drive us to Fitz's condo, please." Olivia slid the partition shut.

She sat down next to Fitz, who looked at her with a devilish grin. He got on his knees in front of her, kissing along her collarbone. He kissed down her clothed body. His hands went up her skirt to pull her thong down. When he had successfully removed the lace from her feet. He tucked it in his back pocket.

Olivia hiked her skirt up and spread her legs wider, tossing him a _what you gon' do about this?_ look. He licked his lips as he began to kiss her thighs, sloppily wandering up to her exposed pussy. He used his fingers to spread her lips wide, looking up at Olivia, who was watching him intently. She ran her fingers through his hair for the millionth time that night. His eyes locked with hers as he gave her a long lick, making her back arch, and a moan to cry out.

They were way past the point of worrying whether the partition was soundproof or not.

She grinded her hips against his face as he ate her out. As she was seconds away from her orgasm, the car pulled into the front of Fitz's building.

Olivia groaned in frustration as she threw her skirt back over her legs. Fitz knocked on the window for Hal to open the door.

They made it to the condo safely, including a surprisingly sober elevator ride with a young family coming home from a Lakers game. Once they were inside his condo, Olivia immediately fumbled with the zipper on her dress, finally shedding the clothes. She took Fitz by the hand, leading him to his bedroom. He wrapped his arms around her at the foot of the bed.

She kissed along his neck as she unbuttoned his shirt and undressed him piece by piece. After she slid his boxers down to his ankles, she backed herself up onto the bed, scooting to the head of it. Fitz reached for the bottle of champagne off of the dresser and observed the scene in front of him.

Olivia laid there, propped on her elbows, looking at him with dark, lustful eyes. He climbed the bed and stood on his knees in between her legs. Olivia looked at him as he took a swig from the champagne bottle, then held it to her to drink. After she obeyed, his free hand started at the apex of her collarbone and traced a trail directly down her symmetrical torso to her navel, then even further south. He took the bottle, titling it over her chest as the remaining liquid poured down her stomach and breasts.

Olivia shivered, her nipples getting even harder. He was immediately parallel to her, kissing, sucking, and biting any inch the champagne touched. Olivia's body was on fire just from his touch. He finally worked his way back up to her mouth, kissing her passionately, dueling her tongue with his.

She became impatient for him, reaching down to take his cock into her hands. She stroked it, making him moan loudly into her mouth. She lined him up with her, and waited for him to enter.

"Olivia Carolyn Pope." He suddenly got serious, hovering over her, at her entrance. He teased her clit with his tip as he stared deeply into her eyes. "I want you to know that you are the most beautiful, brilliant, sexy, amazing woman I know."

Olivia opened her mouth to say something, but he entered, making her lose all coherent thought.

"Fuck." She sputtered as he filled her completely.

"You feel incredible, Livvie." Fitz muttered. She threw her head back, and he kissed sloppy kisses along her neck.

"Harder." Olivia moaned as she hiked her leg over his shoulder. They were a heap of animalistic moans and budding pleasure as they timed their orgasms to be in sync. They collapsed, exhausted from both the sex and liquor. The last thought that went through Olivia's mind before she fell asleep was how nice it was to feel his arms around her.

/

The next morning Olivia woke up first, with a splitting headache. As her mind slowly woke up, she took in her surroundings. Fitz was entangled in a thousand different ways, halfway on top of her. His head was resting against her chest, and the only thing covering them was a sheet wrapped around her ankle. Her arm was asleep from his weight. The bed was sticky. She smelled like alcohol and sex. She slowly detangled herself from him and the sheet.

She removed herself from the bed and headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower. She almost tripped over the empty bottle of champagne on the way. After her shower, she went to the kitchen to gulp down a bottle of water to cure her hangover. Then, she pulled a bowl of fruit and a jug of orange juice out of the fridge.

"So…" Fitz startled her as he entered the kitchen. He sat down at a bar stool "That was fun last night."

"We acted like a bunch of damn teenagers." Olivia laughed as she poured her orange juice. "So foolish." She laughed, pouring him a glass and sliding it across the island to him.

"You should give Hal a Christmas bonus."

Olivia avoided his comment in embarrassment by taking a big gulp of orange juice. "I can't believe we did that last night."

"Which part exactly?" Fitz smirked as he took a sip and popped a grape in his mouth.

Olivia noticed the patterns on her skin. She suddenly remembered Evelyn and her tattoo.

She took a long, sober look at it. It was beautiful. Not something she would want permanently, but it was a work of art. An open eye was on the inside of her wrist. The henna patterns adorned it, wrapping around the circumference of her wrist, extending up the back of her hand. There was small cursive writing on the outside of her wrist. The ink was already beginning to fade. She squinted to decipher the elaborate calligraphy.

 _May your third eye never close_

She smiled, touching the skin gingerly. "What are your plans today?" She asked Fitz. "I mean, what is left of today."

"I've got to go into the studio for at least some time. Just to check on some things."

Olivia nodded. "I'll call a cab home."

"I can drop you off."

"Are you sure? It is out of the way."

"I'm sure."

"Thank you." Olivia circled the counter and kissed him briefly. "Thank you for last night. The flowers, the dinner, the _everything else_."

Fitz kissed her back in his version of _you're welcome_. Her phone buzzed with an email from Anna. It took her a minute to realize that it was already the early afternoon, and Anna had probably been up for hours, sifting through the pictures from last night that were released to the papers or social media.

"Oh god…" Olivia moaned as she flipped through the pictures that were the most shared. It wasn't that they were necessarily compromising or anything. It was just obvious that Olivia had been drinking.

Fitz took her phone out of her hand, looking at the photos. "These are gold."

"They are embarrassing." Olivia lamented. "I look smashed off my feet in half of them."

"You look like you are having fun. That's all."

"It is unprofessional. Directors and casting directors are going to see this and—"

"And think nothing of it. All that happened was we went out, had a couple drinks, danced, and had fun. That is all. Nothing more. Relax." Fitz tried to hide his smile at how fickle she was being. He had to remind himself that she was still relatively new to the whole Hollywood business. That combined with her need to micromanage every bit of her public appearance made her overreact to things like this.

/

 **A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER**

Olivia scanned the stream of passengers exiting the gate. She finally saw him, at the end of the line.

"Chase!" She called, catching his attention.

"Liv!" He hugged her. "Thanks for picking me up."

"No problem. I'm so excited that you are here. This is going to be the best Christmas ever."

"I can't thank you enough for hosting me this week. It means a lot."

Chase would be spending a week in Olivia's guest room for Christmas. He had just finished the post production on the film, and was going to look for a place to live permanently in Los Angeles to continue his career there. The documentary was still in the works, as they were still gathering information for the final product.

"I've got an early Christmas present for you." Chase smiled as they were driving down the interstate towards her home. He pulled a simple DVD in a paper sleeve out of his bag. "The final product. I'll end in the submission to Cannes before New Year's."

"Really?" Olivia got excited. "I thought you weren't supposed to be finished until after the holidays."

"I got antsy over this one, so I put the doc on hold for the past couple of weeks. I'm going to have the documentary finished by February so that—if they are selected—they can be premiered as a double feature. I just wanted to go ahead and get some closure on this one."

"Can we watch it tonight?"

"If you want."

"Great! I'll invite Fitz over. I want him to see it."

"Awesome."

"And I'll invite someone else, if it's okay with you."

"Who?"

"Mellie."

Chase blushed, looking out of the window. "Liv…"

"We've been talking you up to her this week, so it's good. Don't stress it."

"I don't want it to be weird."

"It won't be. She had an ugly breakup that was strung out for a long time back in February. She won't admit it, but she's ready to date again. It will be good for you to have someone while you are getting settled here. Plus, Mellie is like a genius when it comes to the business side of Hollywood. She could help you out a lot."

"Okay." A smile broke across his lips. "You can invite her."

When they reached her home, she got him settled in the spare bedroom. She poured them each a glass of wine as they went for a walk on the beach.

"This is not right." Chase noted, taking a sip.

"What?"

"It's the end of December, and I am on a beach wearing a sweater. That's it. Just one layer. And I'm barefoot. It's not right. How cold is it outside right now? 65?"

Olivia laughed, hugging her cardigan around her. "I felt the same way when I moved here. All I knew was New York and Boston, so I kept waiting for the cold snap. It felt like we were stuck in October in February."

"It is something to get used to, that's for sure."

They took a couple more steps, before Olivia began to talk. "Can I ask you for some advice?"

"Of course."

"You remember the story I told you about how Fitz and I first met?"

"Yeah." Chase was one of the only people who knew the entire story—every heartbreaking detail.

"Do you remember the article that was written and everything?"

"Yeah."

"Well, before the trial, a reporter found the article and was about to publish it. We got to him before he could, but I promised him exclusive wedding photos without consulting Fitz. It was spur of the moment, and I regret it, but I still did it. When I told Fitz about it, he flipped. We had probably our most volatile fight ever. And we aren't a fighting couple. This happened right before the trial, so we tabled the discussion for obvious reasons. Our home is on schedule to be finished by May, and we plan on getting married right after. I just know it is something that needs to be sorted out as soon as possible, I just don't know what to do."

"Well, what are your options with this?"

"Fitz seemed pretty willing to fall on the sword and accept the fallout if the article became public. You know what that would do to his career. I mean this film he is finishing is _everything_ to him. I just can't let him do that. He's not that person. I don't think I can stand to see him dragged through the mud for something he didn't do."

"What about the other option? Pictures?"

"Personally, I don't see the big deal. So what, we have a stranger snap a couple of pictures at our wedding. Ten maximum, probably, just enough to fill a magazine exclusive. There are going to be enough people we don't know too well taking our picture anyways."

"What about a third option?"

"Like what?"

"Pull the reporter back and negotiate something else."

"I don't think that would work. The reporter was…difficult. He didn't want a promised job or money. He wanted glory. He wanted the prestige of being the first to break a crazy story. He wanted the exclusivity. I don't think I have anything better to offer."

Chase nodded in silence for a couple more feet. "What do you want my advice on?"

"I don't know. I'm just at a loss for what to do. What would you do?"

"Whatever you do, it needs to be with Fitz's full consent. I think that if you two sit down and talk it out and are on the same page, then whatever choice you two make will be the right one."

"I just don't want to fight. I don't think we are on the same page yet, and I hate when we raise our voices at each other."

"That's a part of being in a serious relationship. You have yell and scream and express yourselves, but it is all because you love one another, and want the best life with each other."

Olivia linked her arm into his and squeezed it in a half hug before unlatching. "Thank you."

/

That night, Fitz brought Mellie over. After their introductions and what not, they settled on the couch.

Fitz sat on one end whit Olivia laying against his chest. Chase sat at her feet with Mellie on the other side. Olivia popped the DVD in the player and returned to her spot.

Fitz rubbed her shoulder as he felt the nerves set through her system. She popped a handful of popcorn in her mouth and chewed it slowly as the movie began.

The movie, just like all of Olivia's other films, was a masterpiece. Watching the film, Fitz forgot it was his fiancé on the screen, as she blended so effortlessly into the role. When her sex scene with the other actress, Emma, came on, Olivia buried her head into Fitz's chest for the entire duration.

The film ended with a triumphant scene of Olivia walking past the bar that the riots took place around. As the credits began to roll, everybody clapped.

"That was incredible, Chase." Olivia noted as she rose to stop the DVD player.

"Thanks."

Fitz and Chase began to discuss very technical aspects about the film. While Olivia lit a fire in the fireplace, Mellie started talking to Chase about marketing strategies. Olivia disappeared into the kitchen, tossing Fitz a _follow me_ look.

"You were incredible in that." Fitz kissed her temple as he wrapped his arms around her waist form the side.

"Thank you."

"And that sex scene…" He growled into her ear. "Why can't you bring some of that home?" He nibbled on her ear, mimicking a move she did on screen.

"Shut up." She playfully swatted him away. She heard Mellie laugh from the other room. "What do you think? About them? Hitting it off, eh?" she peeked around the corner to see them really engaged in whatever topic they were discussing.

Fitz began to hum the theme from "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," causing Olivia to laugh.

"Come here." Olivia held her hands out for him. She pulled him closer with her hands on each side of his face. "I haven't gotten my proper Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third kiss today."

Fitz leaned in and kissed her, his lips lingering around hers after the kiss was broken. He could tell something was different in her body language.

"What's wrong?"

Olivia took half of a step back, remaining in his arms. "It's nothing to worry about. We can talk about it later. Right now, we should be getting back to our guests."


	36. Higher

**Well, last week's episode of Scandal was a sizable let down, so here is something just in case this Thursday follows suit. I hope you enjoy it!**

Higher—Kwamie Liv

I'mma take you back to the old town  
I'mma make you dance, spin you around  
I'mma shout it out from the rooftops  
I want you, and I never want it to stop

Come the break of day we'll be stronger  
Won't be nothing that we can't conquer  
Baby you and me we are fire  
And all I wanna do is take you just a little higher  
I want to take you higher

* * *

"So… You found a place?" Olivia pulled the milk out of the fridge, trying to hide her smile from Chase.

"I have a few options to choose from." Chase popped open the bag of marshmallows.

"That was quick. Apartment hunting in L.A. is infamous for being a pain."

"Well I had some help."

"Is that so?" Olivia said, suggestively, as she measured the hot cocoa powder before distributing it between the mugs.

"Is there something you want to ask me?"

"No, it's just that you have been out a lot this week. A man can only know so many people on his first week in L.A."

"Where is your whipped cream?" Chase scanned her fridge.

"Second shelf. Probably in the very back. How's Mellie?" Olivia finally got to her point.

Chase tossed her a bright smile over his shoulder, answering her question.

"Did you get her a gift for tonight?"

"Yep."

"What is it?"

Chase popped a marshmallow in his mouth and answered vaguely. "A book."

"So you two are good?" Olivia caught the bashful blush on his face as he turned away. "I'm glad. Both of you deserve each other."

"Have you and Fitz worked out the reporter thing yet?"

Olivia put the mugs of hot chocolate in the microwave. "I haven't talked to him about it yet."

Chase nodded, not prying any further.

"After Christmas. I don't want to ruin the holiday."

It was Christmas Eve that night. Everyone was meeting up at Olivia's home to exchange gifts. The next day, Olivia and Fitz would volunteer for an all-day charity toy drive that would supply meals and toys for the underprivileged children of L.A. County. She wanted to enjoy the holiday without being exhausted, so they all agreed to the night before.

Earlier that week, Chase chided Olivia for not having a Christmas tree, so they spent a day the day before finding a small one and decorating it. It was only four feet, but they spray painted parts of it gold and white, and directed it with minimalistic ornaments. It fit her home well. Now, multiple gifts were positioned carefully beneath it.

A little while later, Fitz and Mellie would arrive. They settled on the carpet floor in front of the tree and lit fireplace with their gifts in tow.

Chase handed his first gift to Mellie: A beautiful leather bound special edition of _Their Eyes Were Watching God_ , which was her favorite novel. For Fitz and Olivia's present, he pulled out a large flat package.

"Now I understand if it doesn't blend with the aesthetics of your new home—or if you just don't like it in general." Chase explained himself as they uncovered a beautiful impressionistic painting. "I saw it at a friend's gallery show back in New York, and it reminded me of you two, so I thought why not."

"Chase this is gorgeous." Olivia took in the colorful swirls of pinks, blues, purples, reds, and a little green. It depicted two figures embracing, but they were composed more of nature imagery than flesh.

"Alright, now open mine now." Mellie handed over a box to Olivia. She opened it to find a bottle of red wine.

"Mellie, I need to know how you keep copping these rare bottles." Olivia gasped as she held the rare vintage French bottle of wine.

"I have a connection."

"Well, by all means, please give me their number. Thank you so much."

Fitz slide a flat box across to her. There was a glint in his eyes that she could only decipher as trouble. She opened the box, only to find a black lingerie set that he picked out for her. She quickly shut the box, shooting him a look.

"What is it?" Chase asked, taking a sip of his wine.

"Nothing I'm going to reveal to you guys." Her face turned red.

"Come on, Liv. Hold it up for everyone." Fitz tried to suppress his laughter.

"Nope." Olivia stood with the box pressed tight between her hands. "This is going to the back of my closet."

Everyone protested, but she took it to her closet, where she dutifully slid it behind her shoe rack.

"Fitz, you can't open my present until the end, because of that." She smirked as she took his present and put it by her side, out of his reach. "Chase, this one is for you. It's from Fitz."

He opened it to find an old film camera. "This is the Leica M12. Amazing. Thanks. I didn't think there were any working ones left."

"I found it in the back of my father's closet and tested it out the other day. It works like it's brand new."

In their own little tradition of buying each other gifts meant for humor more than functionality, Fitz reached behind his seat to pull out a poorly wrapped tennis racket. "Mellie, this one's for you."

"Oh, gee whiz, Fitz. I wonder what it is." She sarcastically ripped the paper off to find a brand new tennis racket. He had clipped the strings on the inside, so it was sabotaged. She twirled the racket in her hand "Hm. Maybe you can beat me now."

"I'm glad you get the joke." Fitz beamed.

"Well, I don't know how I could ever top _that_." Mellie handed him a box. "But this would probably do it."

He opened the box to find it full of tiny packing peanuts. He tossed her a look.

"Don't worry, it's in there. You just have to work for it."

He dug his hand into the Styrofoam to pull out a small piece of paper.

"Go on, read what it says."

"One year's membership to the gym." Fitz smiled lifting up the hem of his sweater to reveal his perfect six pack. "Thanks, Mel. I can't wait to use it."

"Alright, Chase. You have to open mine first, then Mellie's." Olivia slid him an envelope with his name on it.

"Liv, I told you that you didn't have to. Letting me staying here was enough."

"Shut up and open it."

He did, finding a voucher to the Rodeo Drive location of Giorgio Armani. On the coupon, it read _one personally tailored tuxedo_. Before he could even raise his eyebrows to question it, Mellie handed over a second envelope. He opened it, pulling out two tickets to next year's Golden Globes.

"Will you be my date?" Mellie smiled.

"I would be honored." He kissed her chastely on the lips.

"Alright Olivia. There is only one present left. Hand it over." Fitz held his palm out, as she tossed him a small box, impeccably wrapped.

"Now, just a heads up: only 50% of it is yours, and you can't have it _yet_ , so don't get too excited."

His eyebrows rose on his face as he opened the packaging. Inside was a velvet box. When he opened that, he found two rings. One, was very familiar. It was the ring he bought Olivia in Brooklyn. Two rose gold hoops, forged together to make an infinity. The other one was a slightly larger, more masculine version. It was made from the same material.

"Olivia, are these what I think they are?"

"I tracked down the shop you got my ring at back in March. I wanted our _wedding rings_ to have some significance."

Fitz pulled her face to his, where he kissed her softly. "Thank you."

She took the box out of his hands. "I'll go put these away, since we obviously can't use them yet."

"Put them next to my gift to you." He joked as she stood.

Olivia grabbed a handful of the packing peanuts and tossed them at his face in her passing. "Watch it."

She set the rings in the back of her closet and returned to her company on the floor. They laughed and drank as they created their own Christmas memories. Olivia brought Cards against Humanity out, as they began to play the game.

"What really killed the dinosaurs? Owls, the perfect predator. An M4 assault rifle. Finding out Santa isn't real." Fitz looked over his options. "Well since it is December 24th, I'll have to go with 'Finding out Santa wasn't real.'"

"What? That doesn't make sense!" Olivia complained tossing a popcorn at Fitz.

"Well now we know who _didn't_ have the winning card." Fitz joked as he popped the kernel in his mouth.

"It was mine." Mellie swiped the black card out of his hand, adding it to her pile. She drew a card from the untouched stack. "In the seventh circle of Hell, sinners must endure _." Everyone put their cards in the circle as she picked them up to read. "Heteronormativity. A sad handjob. Mufasa's death scene." She casted a prying look at each of her opponents to see if any of their expressions gave away their card. "A sad handjob."

Olivia broke into a grin. "I'll take that." She took the black card to her collection, drawing a new one. "Meryl Streep + _ = Oscar." Olivia giggled at the prompt, letting the wine go to her head. She picked up the options to read aloud. "Statistically validated stereotypes. Wearing glasses and sounding smart. A visually arresting turtleneck. Hmmm. These are all fucking hilarious, but statistically validated stereotypes takes the cake."

Chase held his hand out for the card as they all laughed. It was getting late. Everyone had been drinking too much to drive home, so Olivia was more than welcome to have them spend the night. She made the couch up for Mellie, knowing there was a chance she would end up in Chase's room.

Olivia went through her nightly routine, changing into her silky pajama set and moisturizing her legs and hands with lotion. Fitz laid across the bed sideways at her feet. He held out a small wrapped present.

"Merry Christmas, Livvie."

A simple smile broke across her lips. "We said one present each."

"Yeah, well, I only got you the other one to see how embarrassed you would get in front of our friends." He smirked, earning a playful kick to his shoulder.

Olivia tore the wrapping paper off slowly, discarding it on her nightstand. She opened the box to find a gold necklace with one simple letter on it. _G_.

"Thank you. I love it." She leaned forward to kiss him, pulling him back against the pillows with her. They settled underneath the covers incredibly close in every way. Olivia nestled her face into his Adam's apple. His hand slipped under her pajama camisole, softly stroking her back.

"I love you."

"I love you, Fitz. Merry Christmas." She kissed his collarbone. It felt so right to be in his arms like that, saying those words.

"Merry Christmas."

/

The next day Olivia and Fitz woke up early to go to the toy drive. It was one of the many charity organizations they helped out. They handed out thousands of presents and did interviews to raise awareness for the foundation. Around five o'clock in the afternoon, the event was winding down. As they were walking to the car, a photographer's camera flashed. The press had been there all day, documenting their work. Olivia wanted them all to go home and be with their families, but they had jobs to do and paychecks to make.

This one flash in particular made her stop. The reporter was familiar, but not the familiar that made you warm and fuzzy on the inside. It was Gideon Wallace of the Los Angeles Daily. Olivia tried to quicken her step when she saw him, but he noticed that she noticed them.

"Olivia! Olivia." He ran up to them. Fitz instinctively, put himself in between the two.

"Hey, man. Back up." Fitz's voice was relaxed and calm, but there was a clear threat in his voice.

"Alright. No trouble." Gideon took a few steps back. "I just wanted a few words for my piece. I was assigned to cover the drive."

"No thanks." Olivia began to walk away, her arm linked in Fitz's.

"Oh, come on. Don't you think you owe me?" He flashed a smile like they were all in good nature.

"No, I think you're mistaken." Olivia coolly shrugged him off, but he mistook that as her forgetting who he was.

"I'm Gideon Wallace, from the L.A. Daily. Remember? We have the deal about the wedding pictures." He flashed a cautionary glance at Fitz, who noticeably tensed up at those words.

"I know who you are, but our _deal_ says nothing about other public events, so please, just let me enjoy my Christmas. Goodbye."

By this time they had reached the car. Fitz opened her car door, then got in the driver's side. Things were awkwardly quiet, so Olivia flipped the radio on low volume. After a couple of modern renditions of Christmas carols passed, Olivia spoke up.

"I was planning on bringing this up after today, because I didn't want it to taint our holiday, but never mind about that."

"We need to figure this shit out." Fitz said shortly.

"I don't want to fight." Olivia pleaded. Her hand went to fiddle with her necklace, rubbing the tiny _G_ in between her thumb and index finger.

Fitz just nodded, keeping his eyes on the tricky traffic. She noticed he wasn't driving towards her house. The second he turned on the interstate, she knew exactly where he was driving to.

Several long minutes later, he pulled up to their lot. Significant progress had been made since the last time either of them saw it. The frame of the house was finished along with a couple of the basic windows. The large arched windows overlooking the Pacific Ocean were on schedule to be installed within the next week. The in-progress house seemed so different without the crew of workers bustling about. It was calmer. Its peace matched the vast blue waters staring at them.

Olivia followed Fitz out of the car. He walked through the first floor of the house, taking it all in. Olivia followed, waiting for him to say something.

"We can't let that reporter take those pictures."

"Fitz."

"We won't."

"Then what do we do instead?" Olivia asked.

Fitz turned around to look at her, his eyebrows arched. "I don't know. You tell me."

Olivia sighed, crossing her arms. His word were thickly veiled daggers. "I don't know what to do."

"You were the one who was so quick to think in the first place. Surely you could think of something now."

"Fitz." She took a deep inward breath. "I don't know. I have thought this over and over, but I can't think of a solution. I don't see a way out. All I can see is either we consent to these pictures, or he releases the article."

"Well one of those options is not going to happen."

"Do the pictures really mean that much to you?" Olivia couldn't stop the emotion from rising in her words. "So what, if the world sees my wedding dress in some staged photos. So what if they photograph us shoving cake in each other's face. Strangers take pictures of me all the time. I don't like it, but I have accepted it. I wanted this profession and I knew what I was getting into. Yeah, we lose one veil of privacy, but we have given up so much of that already that I don't think it will be any different."

"Do you hear what you are saying? It shouldn't be like that. That is exactly why I am against this. I don't want our wedding to be some jaded sacrifice of privacy for a mistake I made. Look around us." He gestured broadly to the house. "This will not be compromised. I refuse—"

"Have you considered the alternative?" Olivia cut him off. "Have you really actually allowed your mind to process the consequences of those words being brought up and rehashed? This isn't the nineties, Fitz. You would lose every professional capital you have. Nobody will go watch your movie in theaters if you are a perceived racist. You will be blacklisted. Our entire timeline together will be hyper dissected and torn apart. _Then_ we will lose any shred of privacy." She crossed the floor plan to where he was standing. She brought a hand tenderly to his face. "I love you too much to let you go through that. I _refuse_ to let you go through that."

Fitz sighed, looking down at his feet. "Can we at least explore any other options?"

Olivia turned away and walked over to a ledge to sit on. "Like what?"

" _I don't know_." Fitz ran a stressed hand through his hair. "Let's get this guy in a conference room with a secret recorder. Pin the bastard for extortion or something."

"Okay, but then the reason for his extortion would have to be made public record. He could still release the article out of spite. We lose and are also dragged into a lawsuit."

"What if we call him in like we want to renegotiate. He won't bite the bait, but we'll get it on tape. Then we can use it as leverage to make him take one of the other options. Hand him the ultimatum of either go to jail or take the job at the L.A. Times with a generous amount of hush money."

Olivia lifted her eyes to his. "That could work. That could work. I'll call Anna in a couple of days to get her opinion on it."

"Okay."

Olivia walked over to him. She could tell that he was still angry, but at least they were on the path to fixing it. She went on her tiptoes to kiss him, pulling her mouth down to hers. She did all of the work, kissing his lips softly.

"I'm sorry. About all of this."

He kissed her back this time, silencing her. His arms wrapped around her back securely, hugging her to him.

"Let's just go back and finish our Christmas. There is nothing that can't be finished tomorrow."

They drove back to Olivia's house, where they spent the evening watching Christmas movies and eating popcorn with Chase. Their day of handing out toys as well as their unexpected drama left both of them exhausted. When it was getting late, Chase retired to his room. Leaving Olivia and Fitz still on the couch, finishing the original _Miracle on 34_ _th_ _Street_. Olivia moved so that they were in a spooning position.

"We were good today, Fitz." Olivia whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"I was expecting for us to fight over how to resolve the whole reporter thing. I thought our emotions would get the best of us, and we would end up yelling and throwing stones like last time."

Fitz tightened his arms around her. "I think we both learned something from our last fight."

"I'm proud of us." She focused her attention back to the television until a commercial break came on. "I've got to pee." Olivia kissed Fitz before rising. He didn't even notice that she was gone for a couple minutes until his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Olivia: Come to bed.

He smiled as he flipped the television off and folded his blanket over the couch. When he entered the bedroom, he found Olivia wearing the lingerie set he gave her the previous night. She was standing on her knees on the bed. Her breasts were rising barely noticeable against the black lacey restraints. His eyes hungrily trailed down her body to the red bow she tied around her waist. Her _G_ necklace was still around her neck. She stole the breath from his lungs.

His eyes trailed back up to hers. He saw the subtle smirk on her lips.

"So you like your Christmas present?"


	37. All Things Go

**Okay, so looking at my calendar, I basically have 60 days to finish this story before I go off to school. Therefore, I'm going to be churning these out as quickly as possible to cover what needs to be covered. This chapter is kind of all over the place, so try to keep up with the time jumps haha. Enjoy!**

All Things Go—Nicki Minaj

Yo, I had to reinvent, I put the V in vent  
I put the heat in vents, man I been competin' since  
I look beyond what people sayin', and I see intent  
Then I just sit back and decipher, what they really meant  
Cherish these nights, cherish these people  
Life is a movie, but there will never be a sequel  
And I'm good with that, as long as I'm peaceful

* * *

 **JANUARY**

Olivia unbuckled her seat belt and leaned across the console. Her hand pulled his face from looking at the parking garage wall to her wide eyes. She didn't say anything, instead, tilting her head and pressing her lips to his.

"It's going to be okay." She spoke those words half to him, half to convince herself.

"It's going to be okay." He nodded, rubbing his thumb across her cheek.

They walked into Anna's office building together to greet Anna and her team.

"So, how is this going to go down?"

"We are going to be set up in the conference room." Anna motioned for them to follow her into the conference room. One of her team member was standing on the table with her hands adjusting some wires in the lighting fixture. "Amber, explain what is going on."

Amber climbed down from the table gracefully. "So, we have two recording devices. One in the lighting. One under the table. The one under the table is the one we are going to pull in front of Wallace. After our initial negotiation, which he will refuse, we will pull the recording device out from under the table. We will threaten _tastefully_. Then, we will go from there."

"You two won't say a word, unless I tell you to." Anna warned. "Let us do the dirty work. Just sit there and look pretty."

Amber went into a side room to test the audio to make sure it was showing up. Then Gideon arrived.

"Hey. You guys wanted to plan out the details for the wedding photos? Let's get to it." Gideon shook their hands and went to sit down at the conference table. He pulled his laptop out to take notes.

"We want to renegotiate the deal." Anna started. "So, let's just cut the flower language and get to the base. Wedding photos are off of the table. An entertainment correspondent job at the L.A. Times, and a $3 million check."

"Entertainment correspondent? Really?"

"What department would you rather have?"

"I want my own column."

"I can make that work."

"5 million."

"Don't push your luck." Anna laughed to herself.

"5 million. I know they can pay it. Ms. Pope grossed ten million in her films last year. Mr. Grant grossed seven, but that is not counting the sale of his father's estate, as well as the various endorsement deals they have signed on to. 5 million isn't too much to ask. If you want to stretch it out: 3 million today, 2 more over the next three years, I'm not in any rush."

"These wedding pictures would go for $500,000 at the most. Realistically, somewhere around $300,000. We are here offering you ten times that amount. 4 million is the highest we will go."

Gideon looked Olivia in her eyes, but found nothing but cool indifference. She was an actress—probably one of the greatest of our generation—so he knew she was probably acting then. He really got under their skin with the wedding photos. He saw this window, and it was a golden one.

"Amber." Anna nodded, signaling for her colleague to go to the other room to get the recording. The true hardball was about to begin.

"I'll take it." Gideon surprised everyone in the room. The petite blonde woman who was headed out of the room stopped dead in her tracks. "I'll take the job, the 4 million, and I will leave you two to be."

Anna stared at him in slight disbelief, before composing herself. "Thomas, go draft up the new terms, and bring me the old one. After you sign, we are going to need to follow you to your apartment and do a sweep of your systems to make sure you have erased all evidence of the article."

"We will have to call our accountants, but you will have the money by the end of the week." Olivia sank into her seat a little bit in relief. Fitz's hand slid under the table to her knee. He squeezed it, comfortingly. After the new papers were signed, everybody rose to shake hands.

"Why now? Why didn't you take the offer before?" Olivia asked, purely out of curiosity.

Gideon smiled to himself. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you aren't as much of a hot topic as you were a couple of months ago. You were at the center of a political movement with the trial, and your engagement was at the top of every entertainment night show. Now, you are cold. The marriage buzz has died down some. I don't hold as much capital as I used to. It isn't personal. Believe it or not, I don't care about your marriage or personal life. I'm just out for the best cut I can get for myself."

"Fair enough."

Gideon left, taking with him a huge burden off of Olivia and Fitz's shoulders.

/

 **A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER**

"It's cold."

"It's _clean_. Sophisticated."

"What is wrong with the first one I showed you?"

Olivia caught his eye as she rolled hers. "That one looked like something out of a _Better Homes and Gardens_ magazine."

"It's classic."

"It's grandfatherly."

"Who knew that a bedframe could mean so much?" Fitz sighed.

Olivia was about to open her mouth to say something smart, but she heard a car stop outside of her house. She rose, shifting the laptop to Fitz's lap, to peak out of the window. It was the mail man. As she went outside to meet him for her mail, Fitz continued to scroll through the different ideas for their master bedroom. He heard her enter back into the house.

"Liv, I think I found one you might like." He didn't hear a response. "Liv. Come look. Olivia?"

He turned around to see her standing in the middle of the hallway frozen. Her face showed fear.

"Olivia," Fitz was immediately by her side. "What is it?" He looked down to the letters in her hand. There was a sealed crimson packet with a gold seal in the corner. He guided her to the couch, setting the rest of the mail aside.

"Liv, no matter what is in this envelope, it isn't going to be the end. You have other options, and I love you so it will be okay." It was true that she had gotten a string of acceptances to many other schools in the area. Pepperdine, Chapman, Loyola Marymount. Even as far south as SDSU. USC was just the prize to be won.

Olivia took a deep breath as she broke the seal.

 _Welcome to the Trojan family._

Olivia screamed, frantically flipping through to find the official acceptance letter. "Dear Olivia Pope: We are pleased to offer you acceptance to the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts to pursue a Masters of Arts in Acting."

Fitz scooped her unto his lap, kissing along her shoulder to her face. "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you." Olivia met his mouth with a long, indulgent kiss, resting her forehead against his. "I have a phone call to make."

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number. "Hello? Dad? Hey. You aren't busy are you? Sorry, this will only take a minute. Well I have some news. I got into USC's drama school! Yeah, I just got the packet. Thank you. Well, it's a twelve month program, so I'll start in June and graduate next May. Alright, well I just wanted to let you know. Get back to your class. Alright, I love you. Goodbye." Olivia dabbed a tear from her eye before it could completely form.

Fitz caressed her face with his hands, kissing her nose. Olivia got quiet all of the sudden, emotions flashing behind her eyes. Fitz noticed. "What are you thinking about?"

"When I was accepted to Julliard, I was ecstatic. It was an incredible day of my life. But it was so different from today. I was terrified. My dad and I were… a powder keg and this was the match. There was no support system. I didn't have your arms around me like this. I was scared that he would take it all away from me. It was an important catalyst for getting me to where I am today, but it was different. Now… Now I couldn't imagine this moment better if I wanted to."

/

 **FEBRUARY**

Olivia slowly rotated in the mirror, taking her reflection in. She was wearing a long sleeved gown that was completely see through. Olivia wore a nude slip underneath. The navy blue tulle material skirted outwards in an A-line cut past Olivia's waist. The dress was adorned with exquisite gold doves with blueish green tints in the light.

Her stylist sprayed the final touch of hairspray to her head. She had two gold barrettes on each side of her face, pulling her hair back.

"Dress?" Her stylist began their usual quiz to make sure Olivia had all of the brands right.

"Valentino."

"Jewels?"

"Harry Winston."

"Shoes?"

"Prada."

"Clutch?"

Olivia smiled, "Valentino."

"Good girl. I'll leave now."

"Thank you. You can send him in."

Moments later, Fitz entered. He was wearing a sleek black tuxedo with a skinny black tie. "Hi."

"Hi." Olivia turned around to face him. "Wow, do I have a handsome fiancé."

He crossed the room, setting his hands lightly on her waist. "I am the luckiest guy in the world."

Olivia tilted her head back and closed her eyes, waiting to be kissed. He looked at her relaxed face for a moment. Her eye shadow was smoky, but not overbearing, with tiny gold flakes painted along her eyeliner. Her skin was flawless and her nude lips were plump.

"You are the most beautiful woman…"

"Shut up and kiss me already."

Fitz chuckled as he noticed the slight blush she tried to hide. He granted her the wish, carefully kissing her. Olivia wanted more, but knew to pull away before any aspect of her look was compromised.

"You are wearing the cuff links I gave you last year." Her hands held his, showing the shiny _III_ cufflinks she gave him before last year's ceremony.

"A little tradition never hurt anybody." Fitz kissed her forehead.

"Alright. Let's go."

He led her outside to the car. Hal drove them to the Dolby Theater for the Academy Awards. In the car they went over what they would talk about on the red carpet. The car was stalling in the heavy event traffic for a while, so they discussed some wedding details. The house was slated to be finished in late May, so they settled on May 28th for the wedding. They would plan a 7 day honeymoon, and return to their new home. Olivia threw herself into the planning. Fitz would be tied up with his film for another solid month before it was finished. He was planning on it getting a Cannes release. So they would return from the South of France, get married, honeymoon, and then settle into their dream home. Something out of a fairytale.

Once they arrived on the carpet, they split up to do their separate press.

"So, Olivia. Tell us what you are wearing. You looks stunning."

"Thank you! It's Valentino."

"Well it is breathtaking. So how you are feeling? Last year, you were nominated. You went on to win, and now you are back to present. How is this year different from last year?"

"I'm a whole lot less of a nervous wreck." Olivia laughed. "The pressure is off, I'm just here to have fun. I can relax and enjoy the show. I look forward to watching everyone else have their moment. This is all a blessing."

"Do you have any favorites?"

"Yes, but I won't tell you what they are." Olivia smiled charmingly. "I have too many friends in this town, and I would like to keep it that way."

"Well, you've been with us before, so you know what to do with the _Mani Cam_. This time, however, you have a new addition of your finger. Show us the ring!"

Olivia laughed lightheartedly as she danced her fingers in front of the ridiculous camera.

"That is gorgeous. So you have some big plans in the future! Have you set the date yet?"

"Yes, we have." Olivia smiled, letting her know that that was all she would reveal about that subject.

"And we've been told that you are going back to school, tell us about that."

"Yeah, in the Summer I will be getting my Master's from USC. It's something of a dream come true, and I'm really excited about it."

"Well good luck to you in that, and have fun tonight!"

"Thank you." Olivia exited the platform to find Fitz, who was pulled away by a potential distributer of his film.

Olivia met up with Anna briefly, before finding Fitz. He was doing an interview with a small online podcast. She stood off to the side, watching him finish his interview.

"We should take some photos and then go inside to take our seats." She intertwined her hand in his as they walked over to the photo line. Fitz helped her adjust the train of her dress as they posed together. They had become pros at how to do the red carpet in sync. First Fitz would stand at her side with his hand resting on the small of her back. Then they would progress to Olivia turning into him with her engagement ring hand on his chest. After a few snaps, Fitz would so something adorably candid like kissing her cheek, making her blush, before moving up the carpet so they could do their independent pictures.

After mingling with a few other celebrities, they took their seats.

"This is weird." Olivia said as they sat down on the fifth row.

"What?"

"I'm not front row anymore. I feel so… _inferior_." She joked. The program started, and it wasn't long before the best actress category was approaching. She was ushered backstage and handed an envelope.

"Just follow the teleprompter and you'll be fine. They'll let you know when your cue is. Wait over there." The show runner patted her on the shoulder, leaving her by herself.

Nerves began to settle in, but they were manageable nerves. Relative to how she felt a year ago, she was floating on her back in the ocean somewhere. Nonetheless, being on stage at such an important event never failed to give her nerves. She didn't want to ruin the moment for the next recipient.

Her time came to waltz across the stage. After delivering a small joke at the teleprompter's direction, "And the Academy Awards for Best Actor goes to… Brad Pitt for _By the Sea_."

The crowd roared as the announcer listed off all of his accomplishments. He jogged up the stage, and Olivia handed him the statuette and envelope. She stood out of frame during his acceptance speech, then escorted him off stage. Fitz was waiting in the wings for her.

"Hi." He pulled her by her waist towards a corner, out of everyone's way.

"Hi." She laughed. "You are supposed to be in your seat."

"Yeah, but I'm not." He leaned in to kiss her. She pulled back, for a second, to make sure nobody was watching, before leaning in to meet him. "I figured it would be pretty hectic after the show, and I knew you wouldn't be able to make it back to your seat, so I came back here."

There was a thunderous applause from the stage as the Best Picture was announced. They watched one of the monitors as the producer gave the speech.

"Let's get out of here."

They went to a nearby hotel, where Olivia met her team of stylists and changed out of her Valentino gown into a velvety black Tom Ford gown for the after parties. They went out, enjoying the extravagant festivities. They danced and drank and visited with all of their friends.

The third party they attended was smaller and darker. It wasn't a tradition like Vanity Fair or Harvey Weinstein, but they decided to attend anyways. They stayed for a couple minutes, before deciding it was time to go. Fitz called Hal to pull the car around.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom, first." She kissed Fitz's cheek. "I'll be right back."

She went on the search for the restroom. She found a hallway with many doors that was decently crowded with people. She tried one room, but it was empty.

"Excuse me." She caught the attention of one of the caterers rushing by with a plate full of delicacies. "Where is the ladies' room?"

"Uh, fourth door down." He said in passing as he continued on his task.

She walked further, and found the door with the tiny lady symbol. When she opened the door, she wasn't prepared for the sight in front of her. There were a couple of girls sitting around a chaise lounge. There were tiny silver plates with cocaine in neat lines. Olivia immediately began to back out of the bathroom, not wanting to be around that. It's not like she felt in danger of doing it herself, but she didn't want a photographer capturing her in the same room or rumors getting out.

One girl who had her back to her was hunched over, obviously snorting the powder, turned around to see what everybody was looking at. Olivia made eye contact with her.

"Abbey?"

"Liv, wait!" she called out. Olivia was already out of the door. She quickened her step, wanting to find Fitz and get out of the club as fast as possible. She felt a hand grab her arm, and she turned around to see Abbey.

"Liv, it's not what it—"

"Abbey." Olivia pulled her into the empty room she accidentally explored earlier. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"It's honestly not that big of a deal!" Abbey began.

"You could go to jail, easily for that! It's a felony!" Olivia looked over Abbey in the dimly lit room. She was wearing a simple silver dress with capped sleeves. Her hair was in long curls, but it was slightly disheveled. That wasn't what unnerved Olivia, though. It was the look on her face. She looked different. On edge. Wired. Her makeup was smudged around the edges of her eyes. She must have been crying. Even in the low light, Olivia could see how dilated her pupils were.

"Are you okay?"

Abbey's face transformed through several different emotions that Olivia couldn't process. "Yeah! Yeah. I'm great." Her face tightened as she fought back her tears. "I'm _fantastic._ "

"Abbey…" Olivia closed the space between them, but Abbey took a half step back. Abbey turned away, and began walking around the room. "What is wrong?"

"It's nothing. Nothing. David and I got into a fight before today. But it's nothing." Abbey began to pace back and forth, wringing her hands.

"Who did you come with? How did you get here?"

"I drove myself."

"Well there is no way I'm letting you drive home." Olivia said, half to herself. She pulled her phone out and dialed Fitz.

"Hey, where have you been? I was getting worried."

"I'm fine. Come to the first door on the right on the hallway where the bathrooms are."

"Olivia, are you—"

"Just come. I'm fine." Olivia hung up, turning back to Abbey. "Did you know those girls in the bathroom?"

"No."

Seconds later, Fitz entered. "Abbey?"

Abbey didn't respond, but her eyes wildly acknowledged him. She was pacing furiously.

"Livvie, what is going on?"

"I found her in the bathroom snorting cocaine with some strangers." Olivia dropped her voice even lower. "She's all alone. She had a fight with David, and she's fucked up over it. I don't know what to do, I've never—"

Fitz walked over to Abbey. "Abbey, I'm going to need you to answer some questions for me, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, of course."

"Is this your first time doing cocaine?"

"Yes."

"Have you had anything to drink tonight?"

"Champagne."

"How much?"

"I don't know. I can't remember. I don't know where the bottle is."

"Shit." Fitz muttered to himself. "How much have you snorted?"

"I can't remember."

" _Shit_ " He repeated.

"Does she need to go to the hospital?" Olivia asked.

"Hospital?" Abbey's eyes widened. "No, no, no, no, no. I'm not going to a hospital. I'll be fine. I'm fine. I'm okay." She tried to walk past them out of the room, but Fitz held his arm out to stop her. She reacted like an animal, trying to fight past him. Fitz held her by her forearms, restraining her to some degree.

"Abbey, listen to me." Olivia stood in front of her. "We are taking you home with us. We aren't calling 911, and we aren't taking you to the hospital. Relax. We just want to make sure you are okay." Her voice was calm and comforting. Abbey nodded and relaxed. Fitz let go of her, still staying close to her.

"Hal is still waiting outside. He's ready when we are."

"Okay, let's go."

Fitz turned to Abbey. "Alright, we are going to walk you out to our car. I need you to act as normal as possible, okay? It is going to feel overwhelming with all of the lights and music, but Liv will be holding your hand the entire time. Just don't freak out."

Abbey nodded, taking Olivia's hand. They walked her out to the car safely. Olivia felt confident that nobody suspected anything, despite being photographed in depth by the paparazzi waiting outside. When they got to Olivia's house, Olivia changed out of her ball gown, giving Abbey a change of her clothes along with a hot cup of tea.

"What do we do now?" Olivia asked.

"We wait and watch her. Because she mixed alcohol and the drug, we need to periodically monitor her heartbeat to make sure she doesn't go into cardiac arrest or anything. The chances are decreasing, and I think she is going to be okay, but we still need to check. When she comes off of her high, it could get ugly. She'll feel awful. Especially if it is her first time. It's probably going to happen soon."

"Okay."

They went to join her on the couch.

"Abbey, how are you feeling?"

"I feel fucking great."

"Okay, let me know when that begins to change."

A little while later, Abbey began to sweat. "Okay, I'm not feeling fucking great anymore."

"You are entering the withdrawal. It's okay. It's normal. It means your system is washing the drug out of your system. It's going to feel like the flu. Just don't freak out. This is normal."

"Fitz, could you run and get me a cool washcloth and a bucket?"

He went into her bathroom to find the washcloth and bucket. When he returned, Abbey was laying with her head in Olivia's lap. Abbey looked sick, he hands clenched in fists against her stomach. Olivia dabbed the cool rag across her forehead, also soothingly brushing the tangles out of her hair with her fingers.

Olivia periodically checked her pulse, which seemed to be returning to normal. Finally Abbey began to drift off to sleep.

"Abbey, come on. Let's get you to bed." Olivia helped her stand in her exhausted state and walked her to the guest room. She tucked her into bed, setting a fresh glass of water on the night stand.

"Just focus on getting some sleep right now." Olivia turned the lights out and left her alone to rest.

Olivia found Fitz sitting in the kitchen with a glass of scotch. Olivia hugged him from behind, leaning her head against his back.

"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you tonight."

"I'm glad she is okay. Most of the time if you are drinking and snorting it isn't going to end well. Let alone if it is your first time." Fitz took a final sip before setting his glass down. He turned, pulling Olivia between his legs. He hugged her tightly against him. "Promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me you will never touch that shit. I mean it. I don't think you understand how much it would hurt me if you became a user."

"I promise." Olivia kissed his ear. Fitz never really talked in detail about the downsides of his young, wild party life. She knew he did drugs, but she also knew that he wised up and removed himself from those dangerous situations. She pulled back, taking his face in her hands. "I love what we have too much to jeopardize it."

He kissed her softly, guiding his tongue to her mouth. They shared a long, comforting kiss before finally breaking it. Neither one of them moved their heads from each other. They stayed in each other's arms, eyes closed, silently comforting one another. Finally, Olivia spoke.

"Do you think she will be okay for the night?"

"Yeah, but I'll check on her one last time. We need to get our rest, though."

Olivia nodded, kissing him once more before leaving to brush her teeth. Fits went to the guest bedroom to check on Abbey. She was knocked out cold. He checked her pulse, which was normal. He looked at her peaceful frame, exhausted from the trauma it went through. He thought about Caroline, the girl that was talking to Nate, one of the boys that ran in his pack in college. He didn't know Caroline well, but she was pretty and kind to him. She didn't usually go out with them, because she was studying pre-med, and wasn't from a ridiculously wealthy family like they were. She unknowingly mixed drugs one night, and her heart stopped. She, of all people, was the least deserving of that fate. Fitz pushed those memories out of his mind, as he went back to the master bedroom.

He stripped down to his boxers and pulled Olivia against his chest, grateful to have her healthy against him like that.

/

Abbey woke up with a strong headache. She tried not to remember what happened the night before, but it hit her anyways. The fight, the party, the drugs, Olivia and Fitz taking her to Olivia's home and taking care of her. She relaxed against the sheets, trying to go back to sleep and avoid the entire thing.

"Abbey?" Olivia was sitting at the foot of the bed with a newspaper in her lap. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmmhfdhdfh." Abbey moaned.

"Here, drink this." Olivia handed her a cup of something orange that was a mixture of Vitamin Water, Emergen-C immune system boosters, and orange juice. She drank it greedily.

"Thank you."

"I've also got breakfast in the kitchen. You should eat."

After eating the eggs and bacon that Olivia managed to cook, they settled on the patio overlooking the beach with blankets.

"Do you want to tell me what happened with David?"

"It is all so foolish now. He was my date to the show last night, but he backed out last minute. He saw these photos with me and Leo from the movie I'm shooting. It was an innocent kiss while we were out for dinner one night, but the paparazzi caught it. Nonetheless, David saw it. He called me a whore and refused to go with me." Abbey fought the tears, "I think that was it. I think he's through with me."

Olivia rubbed Abbey's back comfortingly. "I don't think so. If he loves you, then it never is."

"What do I do?"

"Give him time. Communicate. Let him know how sorry you are. And please don't do anything stupid like last night."

"I'm sorry. About everything. I didn't mean to ruin your night. I feel awful about it."

"You didn't." Olivia smiled. "I'm just glad you are okay."

/

 **MARCH**

"You are looking spiffy for a wedding planning meeting." Olivia kissed him briefly, taking in the suit that hugged his body perfectly. She found herself subconsciously licking her lips. They walked hand in hand towards the chic café. They were sharing lunch before heading to a meeting with their wedding planner.

"I've had meetings all morning."

"Important ones?"

"We are trying to sign some distribution deals. If we want this film to stick to the awards season panels, we need to make it accessible. Lacking a major studio doesn't help."

"You'll figure it out."

"I hope so. Do you think you could come to a dinner with me Thursday? I'm trying to romance a potential backer, so I figured having you and his wife at the dinner would help."

"Are you trying to use me?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Of course, I'll be there." She brought his hand to her mouth to kiss as they walked along the sidewalk. "I have good news."

"Spill."

"I am the new brand ambassador for Bose headphones."

"Really? That's incredible!"

"Yeah, it is. We worked out all of the contracts in secrecy. I have some commercials and photoshoots to do next week in New York. That is when they are going to announce it. Their Spring marketing campaign is actually really cool, but _I can't say a word about it to anyone._ "

"Or else you would have to kill me?"

"You know the rules."

"I'm happy for you." Fitz smiled as they sat down outside, ordering their food.

After they ate, they went into the office of the wedding planner they hired to make the day perfect. Since they waited until the finishing date was concrete for their house, they were in somewhat of a crunch for time to get everything perfect before May. Despite being swamped with the final stages of his film, Fitz made sure to show up to all of the meetings, and be just as active in the planning of their event as Olivia.

In the meeting, they finalized almost all of the details of the wedding. They found a beautiful old church 40 miles up the Pacific Coast Highway that hadn't been active in almost a decade. It was still kept up by a local historical committee, which made it the perfect location. They were to be married on the lawn overlooking the ocean, the reception was to be held in the renovated chapel.

They sent the finalized menu off to the caterers, made sure the DJ was set. They were scheduled next week to meet again with their photographer to discuss shots and concepts. Despite their plans to keep the guest list small, it was growing to nearly 300 people after college friends and the like were remembered. Mellie and Chase were to be the maid of honor and best man. Bridesmaids were going to wear varying shades of slate grey dresses.

The wedding planner had hooked them up with the best travel agent for their honey moon. They were to spend a week in Morocco, in a rented house on the coast that was close enough to Casablanca, but far enough for them to enjoy maximum privacy and quietness if they wanted.

After the meeting was over, Olivia walked with Fitz back to their cars.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Fitz pinned Olivia against her car door, letting his hands settle on her hips.

"Some stuff that I can't tell you about." She smirked, loving how the secrecy irked him. "But I'll be finished by 5:00."

"Dinner at my place." He kissed her lips, "I'll cook." He kissed her again.

Olivia rested her hand on his chest, looking specifically at her ring. "I'll see you then."

After Fitz drove off, Olivia went to meet Mellie at Elle Reynolds's studio. Elle had designed Olivia's gown for the night she won her Oscar. Her gown had skyrocketed Elle's start up fashion business. They remained friends since then, and Olivia wanted her to custom design her wedding gown. They had met multiple times over sketches and measuring, but today was the first day she would see the final product.

Olivia allowed for her to button up the back as Mellie watched from the couch. She gasped at how well the dress fit her. Like a glove. It was quintessentially Olivia. Sophisticated, modern, and elegant. The dress started at the top with a crisp boat neckline and a form fitting silhouette that was flattering in the classiest way.

"Here." Elle beamed, guiding her to the little platform in front of a wall of mirrors. "Look at the back."

Olivia rotated herself so she could see the back. Where the boat neck ended at the end of her shoulders, it swooped down to reveal her with draping fabric. The front was minimalistic and the back had the perfect touch of romanticism. Olivia began to tear up as Mellie pulled her hair up to mimic what her wedding hair would be like. They added her jewelry.

Elle handed Olivia a tissue as she dabbed around her eyes.

"This is perfect."


	38. Unstoppable

Unstoppable—Lianne La Havas

My head's held high when we walk down the line, honey  
Arm-in-arm through the clear night sky  
Let's be at peace, we'll fly  
Our hearts collide  
Can't escape the magnetic side

* * *

 **MAY**

"Well…" Olivia pulled back the curtains and opened the wide French doors to the balcony. "Here we are."

Fitz finished setting the bags at the foot of the bed and walked up behind her. "Here we are." His hands rested on her hips and his head on her shoulder. "This is Cannes."

Chase's film would premiere the next day, and Fitz's film would premiere two days after that. It was unprecedented that a (soon to be) married couple would have two films selected, but they did. Their work was amongst the few films that were selected out of the hundreds of submitted films. Chase submitted his film and documentary out of competition, so that both could be played as a double feature.

Due to the intensive wedding planning, house decorating, and press for their films, they had not had too much down time. The house was built with final landscaping and interior design being finished. The wedding was completely worked out. All they had to do was show up. Fitz had worked out some major distribution deals that would be finalized after the premiere. Now, they just had to step into the shoes of pure glamour and be praised for their hard work.

Olivia felt his hands unzip the back of her dress. His hands slid the straps off of her shoulders. The dress fell to her ankles. She allowed herself to be seduced by his overpowering scent of cologne and man as he unclasped her bra, leaving her in just her underwear.

The scene in front of her was painted like a landscape. The blue Mediterranean and gorgeous coastline. The air was cool and pleasant as it hit her naked body. Fitz used his right hand to grope her breast as his left hand grabbed hers and slid down to the beginning of her thighs. He guided her fingers to her pussy. The evidence of her arousal coated both of their fingers.

His breath was warm against her ear in a whisper. "You are so wet, Livvie."

She threw her head against his shoulder as he began to pleasure her with her own fingers. She grabbed the hair on the back of his head with one hand, tugging on his curls. His mouth was kissing and biting along her shoulder. Olivia was completely at his mercy.

He backed her against the wall, and stood in front of her. Her mouth was immediately attached to his, kissing and sucking on his tongue. Her hands were rapidly unbuttoning his shirt as she ripped it off of his shoulders. They made one moment of steamy eye contact before Fitz went down on his knees, kissing down her torso and pulling her lacy underwear down in the process.

He pulled Olivia's leg over his shoulder and placed kisses up her thigh. Olivia braced herself for the sensations she had been missing. Her left hand was buried deep in his curls. Her engagement ring sparkling through the locks of hair.

"I've missed the way you taste." Fitz mumbled into her as he began to lick all over her sex. Olivia's knees nearly bucked as he slipped one, then two, fingers into her. Her loud moans and cries urged him on as he brought her to her orgasm. He pulled her leg back down and rose, pinning her against the wall.

He waited for her breath to calm and her eyes to open. When her big, brown eyes finally locked into his, he swept her off of her feet, carrying her to the bed. Olivia stood on her knees on the bed as she kissed Fitz. Her hands were set to unbutton his pants as her mouth skipped from neck to jaw to mouth to cheek.

There was a knock on the door of their hotel suite.

"Fuck." Olivia pulled away.

"They'll go away." Fitz mumbled, pulling her back to him.

"No, they won't. It's my dress. I forgot Givenchy was sending it over as soon as we checked in." She climbed off of the bed to go find a robe. She noticed their clothes strung across the room. "Fitz, pick that up!"

When they had erased any obvious evidence of their previous activity, Olivia answered the door. A girl with two assistants brought in a large hanging bag and laid it out on the bed, along with an elaborate floral arrangement from Riccardo Tisci, himself.

"That's a big bag." Fitz commented as he came out of the other room with a t shirt on.

"Riccardo veut que vous assurez-vous qu'il convient." The girl asked if Olivia would try it on one last time.

"Of course." Olivia agreed, before turning to Fitz. "Fitz, we need the room."

He raised an amused eyebrow. "I forgot you spoke French."

"Au revoir." Olivia winked, waving him out of the room.

Olivia slipped into the dress to make sure it still fit. It was a hefty ball gown. Thick garnet material began in a sweetheart neckline and hugged her body tightly before skirting out just below her butt. The material was stiff and classic, giving her an Old Hollywood essence. Olivia slipped on the white elbow length gloves.

"Magnifique." Olivia smiled, as an assistant hung a loaned Cartier necklace that was worth a solid six figures.

"Merci." The girl replied, putting the gown back in the bag and hung it against the armoire.

They left, leaving Olivia alone. "Fitz, you can come back out." She loosened her robe, to where she was half exposed by the time he walked out. He was nursing a scotch in his hand from the mini bar. He was shirtless, once again.

"Where were we?" Olivia smirked as she took the glass from him and took a sip.

"Before you started speaking that incredibly sexy language?"

Olivia pushed him to sit on the edge of bed. She straddled his lap, grazing her lips across his cheek "J'ai envie de t'embrasser."

"And what does that mean?"

"I want to kiss you." Olivia kissed him, pushing him to lay on his back. "Je veux passer ma vie avec toi."

"Hm?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She intertwined her fingers in his, raising them above their heads.

"How do I say ' _You are my life?'"_

"Tu es ma vie."

"Tu es ma vie, Livvie."

/

The next morning, Olivia and Fitz had breakfast with the entire cast from her film. Most of them had not seen each other since filming had wrapped, so it was nice to catch up. Their film had an afternoon screening, so Olivia changed into a silver halter dress that barely grazed her knees. The dress had tiny silk petals at the hem. She wore her hair down in long, loose curls with her bangs pulled back to the side.

Chase and Olivia began their press tour. Because Olivia was the biggest name in the film, and Chase had garnered buzz with his involvement with Jake Ballard's trial, they did multiple interviews together. Olivia had interview after interview by herself. Anna had managed to set up every spare minute of her day doing press.

At 2:00, Olivia had thirty minutes until it was time to do the red carpet. The film started at 3. She called Fitz, who had been left to himself for most of the day. She didn't have time to go back to the hotel, so he agreed to meet her on the beach in front of the festival.

"Hi." She couldn't stop her grin, as she walked up behind him. He was wearing a spring suit with his shirt unbuttoned at the top and his shoes in his hand.

"Hi." He kissed her chastely on the lips. "How has your day gone?"

"Tiring, but good. I like it here."

"How is Chase taking all of this?"

"He loves it." This was Chase's first feature film, and first film garnering this much buzz and excitement. "He reminds me of where I was two years ago. So wide eyed. Not really taking all of it in, but trying to. It's such a young cast and crew that it's like I'm experiencing all of this for the first time, too. "

"Have you eaten?"

"No. Breakfast has held me over well."

"I brought you a sandwich just in case." He held out a saran wrapped Panini.

"Thank you." She took it as they walked down the beach.

The air was so warm, and the water was so blue. The sand felt so good between their toes. Fitz's arm draped over her shoulder felt so right. Olivia wanted to go splashing into the water, but she knew she had to return her dress and stay put together for the red carpet.

When their break was up, they went to join the rest of the crew on the carpet. They spent thirty minutes taking individual pictures as well as cast pictures. When it was time for the film to premiere, they all went inside.

As they settled into their seats, Fitz observed Olivia. He remembered how nervous she was watching the film in her home while Chase visited for Christmas, but she was on a whole new level of nerves. As per usual, he offered his hand to be clasped and squeezed through the racy parts of the movie. It was weird to see his fiancé's—soon to be wife's—breasts displayed on a massive screen in a steamy love scene. Yet, the movie was just as captivating as when he saw it five months earlier.

After the feature finished, the hour and a half documentary played. Olivia had yet to see the documentary, but she trusted Chase fully. It was astounding. She had to control the tears coming down her face at times—with some help from Fitz's handkerchief. Her help with the protests and filmmaking process was very notable. She found herself cheesing when Aaliyah was interviewed. It was a little raw for her, reliving the events that happened.

When the final credits began to roll, Olivia released Fitz's hand with a deep, relieved sigh. She leaned over to Chase, who was sitting a seat away from her.

" _Incredible,_ " She mouthed, patting him on the knee.

There was a standing ovation as Olivia and the rest of the cast and crew took to the stage. There was a panel discussion for the press, where they answered questions about the film.

"I have a question for Olivia."

"Yes?" Olivia leaned into the microphone.

"What brought you onto this film?"

"The script, for sure. I mean, I had not met any one of these beautiful souls before I auditioned. I was looking for something crisp and new, and this was it. I didn't expect to be adopted into such an awesome film family, and to learn so much from this whole process."

"Could you elaborate on that? What did this film teach you?"

"The fact that it paralleled an important moment in our current history. It really put the whole message into perspective. As an actress, you research their history and personality. You imagine and pretend to feel what they were feeling. But, with this particular project, I felt connected to my character in ways I wasn't anticipating. I wasn't _acting_ , as much as I was _feeling_. It was beautiful. I don't know if I will ever experience that again, so I cherished every second of it."

"Chase." Another reporter spoke up. "What fascinated you the most about the Stonewall Riots, and why did you choose this story?"

"I was raised by my two mothers. While they were way too young to participate in the riots, I could easily see them fighting for their own rights in a situation like that. The universal theme of justice is such an important concept to me. It just fell together so naturally."

When the final questions were over, Olivia and Fitz split from the crowd. They were informed of the multiple parties they were invited too, but Fitz could tell how exhausted Olivia was.

"Why don't we…" Fitz snaked his arm around her waist. "Go back to the hotel room, slip into those big fluffy robes, and order room service?" He sealed his proposal with a kiss to her temple as they walked away from the crowd. "We have all day tomorrow and the next night to party."

"That sounds perfect."

So they did just that—trading their fancy outfits for the soft pillows and bed sheets.

The next day, they spent all day on a friend's yacht in the Mediterranean. Olivia wore peach high-waisted shorts with a white button down shirt tied up at her waist. Fitz wore light khakis rolled up at the ankle with a navy blue t shirt. They enjoyed their time drinking mimosas and chatting with the other guests.

At one point, Olivia broke away from the crowd and walked to the bow of the boat. The French Riviera was a line along the horizon. The water was peppered with a handful of other yachts, all a far distance away. She leaned against the railing, letting the sea breeze rustle her hair. She didn't notice Fitz standing behind her, observing her. He was always taken by her beauty, even in the simplest times.

He walked up behind her, putting his hands over hers on the railing, intertwining their fingers. She instinctively leaned back against him.

"I like this life." Olivia said, kissing his arm. "This lifestyle of the Riviera. The yachts and fashion and mimosas and absolutely no worries."

Fitz chuckled deeply, "Do you want a yacht. We can get a yacht."

"Hmm, no. We don't need one… How much do you think it would cost?"

"A boat this size would probably run at about twenty million brand new. Maybe fifteen if it was used."

Olivia let out a low whistle. "I could be in a superhero movie. Take on a couple more endorsements. You could direct spit out a Disney film—I hear they pay well. We could fill it with beautiful people and expensive wine. We could travel the world."

"If you want the world I'll get it for you." Fitz kissed her temple.

Olivia turned in his arms, "All that I want," she palmed his cheek, "You have already given me."

"They just anchored the boat. Do you want to go swimming?" Fitz asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

They changed into their swimsuits, joining the rest of the guests in the water. When Olivia emerged from the changing room in one of her signature white bikinis, she caught Fitz staring.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

"It's rude to impose a week of celibacy before our wedding date, and look that good."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You have five more days before that begins, so quit complaining. And it's not like we don't have a lifetime to follow."

Olivia ran off of the diving board, gracefully swan diving into the clear water. Fitz followed with a loud cannonball.

After swimming around, Olivia laid . She untied the top strings of her bikini so no lines would show on the next night's gown or wedding dress. Although Olivia was trying her best to relax under the pleasant sun, she couldn't ignore Fitz's hungry stare from the other deck chair.

She summoned him with a twist of her finger. He was sitting sideways between her legs in seconds.

"Stop." She said sternly, despite the smile creeping around the corners of her mouth.

"Doing what?"

"It's rude of you to look at me like that, when we are drifting in the middle of the sea."

"I'm wearing sunglasses, so you don't know where I'm looking." Fitz looked up at the horizon and the approaching shore. Olivia couldn't help but think how sexy he looked with his sea breeze tousled hair and aviators. "Besides, we will be docking in about thirty minutes. Be patient. I can have my way with you in a little while."

Fitz leaned forward to kiss her. "I'm going to go get something to drink. Would you like anything?"

"I'll just have a water, thank you." Olivia reached to tie her swimsuit straps back in place.

"Hey… Don't do that yet." Fitz winked as he left her rolling her eyes at him.

/

Olivia woke up to an empty bed. Annoyance set in on her half-awake mind as she wondered where her fiancé went. She felt along the cold sheets until her hand hit a paper. She opened her eyes, she found a rose and a note.

 _Had to go down to get some work done._

Olivia held the rose to her nose, letting the soft petals tickle her cheek. Olivia glanced at the clock. She was in no rush to get out of bed, but she had some shopping to do while she was in the area. So, she showered and dressed in a simple sun dress. After calling a cab, Olivia sent Fitz a text.

 **OLIVIA:** I loved my morning surprise. I have some errands to run, so I will let you do your thing today. I'll be back by three to be ready by five. Love you. Speak your truth during press today. Everybody is going to love it.

A couple of minutes later, she got a response.

 **FITZ:** Thank you, I love you.

Olivia took a cab to a couple of wine shops on her radar, stocking up on rare finds. She went to a couple of boutique home décor shops to look for any finishing touches on their home. There was one boutique that Elle Reynolds had recommended with a twinkle in her eyes. In her words, it was a "must visit before the big day" type of place. Olivia walked into its chic storefront to find herself immersed in daintily sewn lingerie.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle." A sales associate politely appeared by her side.

"Bonjour." Olivia smiled kindly.

"Puis-je vous aider?" - _Can I help you with anything?_

Olivia paused, trying not to let her embarrassment show on her face. "Je me marie dans une semaine…" - _I'm getting married in a week…_

"Aha!" The clerk lit up, catching her direction. He guided her to a lounging couch and offered her refreshments before pulling out samples for her to peruse. It wasn't long before she had selected the perfect set. Her heart was in flutters as she checked out. She couldn't wait to see Fitz's face when he undressed her on their wedding night.

/

Fitz came back to the hotel room after his day of press. He knew that Olivia and her team of stylists were away at work in the bedroom by the sound of their jokes in French.

"Liv, I'm back. I just need to shower."

"Okay!" She called back. "You know the drill. No peeking."

"Are you going to make me wait even after we are married?"

"Probably."

After he showered and changed into his tuxedo, Olivia was ready. He was sitting in the other room, thumbing through the cards on all of the floral arrangements she received for her film. When she stepped into the room, he immediately stood up.

"Wow." He took in her ensemble.

"Thank you." She crossed the room to one of her shopping bags from her day. She pulled out a bottle. "I didn't want you to have to suffer the hotel minibar tonight, and this caught my eye, so…"

She handed him the rare bottle of Scotch.

"Wow." A grin spread across his face.

Olivia grabbed two glasses and poured their drinks. "To us." She clinked hers against his.

"To us."

They took a sip, and Olivia couldn't help but wince at how it burned her throat. Fitz soothed it with a kiss, letting her taste the flavor off of his tongue. His hands wandered around her waist to the small of her back, which was hugged tightly by her dress.

"I like this dress." He murmured against her lips.

"Mmm, yeah, well it is couture…" Olivia felt his fingers splay out across her ass. She reached behind herself and intertwined her fingers into his. "Which means it needs to stay in _perfect_ condition tonight."

"We can be careful." He was relentless. "We only have four more days to fornicate with until you are my wife."

"You make that sound _so_ romantic." Olivia joked as she kissed him, maneuvering out of his grasp. She found her gloves, pulling them up her arms. "Ready?"

"Ready."

/

After the main pictures were done on the carpet, Olivia accompanied Fitz to do some red carpet interviews at his insisting.

"Olivia, I have to say congratulations on your film premiered earlier. I thought it was astounding."

"Thank you, very much." Olivia beamed, graciously.

"So, I have a question for the both of you. Who is more awkward about the love scenes Olivia has to do?"

They shared an awkward laugh, not sure who should answer it.

"I think I probably do. I always bury my face and look away at my own scenes." Olivia spoke up, laughing charismatically. "In all seriousness, we are professionals about it. He's been in the business a long time, and he directs them so we know the difference between real and fake."

"There has been strong Oscar buzz surrounding both of your films. What will you do if they are pitted against each other come awards season?"

"Whoever loses does laundry for a month." Fitz joked.

"That segways into my next question: when is the big date?"

"Soon." Olivia said, politely. "That is all I'm going to say."

"Alright, well I'll let you two go. We all look forward to seeing your film tonight, Fitz."

"Thank you." He nodded, as he took Olivia's hand, leading her up the stairs.

After Fitz gave the introduction to the film on the stage, it was his turn for his nerves to take over. He was silent and calm throughout the premiere, but Olivia could tell that on the inside he was flipping out. As being someone who had been there with him through it all, she knew how much this film meant to him.

It was because of this film that they let Cyrus back in, resulting in the whole voting fraud incident. She remembered how excited he was in the beginning, sharing all of the tiny details that came to him before the plot was even finished. Many nights, she would wake up in his empty bed to find him in his office, sketching out frames or reviewing footage.

He wrote the script before they got back together. One night, he told her how he wrote the script with her in mind. Before he knew she would give him a second chance, he was watching her rise to fame quickly. He wanted to get her attention with his work.

She had lent her advice on individual scenes, and read the script, but nothing could compare to watching the final product. When the credits rolled, she snuck a kiss before the lights flicked on and all eyes turned to him.

"That was incredible." She rose with the rest of the audience as they clapped a standing ovation. Olivia was the loudest in the crowd as Fitz went to the stage do to the Q&A session.

They made their rounds from party to party. When they made it back to the hotel room, Olivia changed out of the cocktail dress she wore to the parties. Fitz watched, pouring himself a scotch, as she shed her clothing until she was completely naked.

"I am still in awe of your film, babe." She rambled on as she hung her dress up in the closet. "That scene with the little girl on the balcony… I was holding my breath the entire time. You know, when you were describing that special lens that USC let you use, I had no idea what the hell you were talking about. But when I saw it on screen, I _understood_. It was brilliant. I don't think I've ever felt so sucked into the mise en scène. I know that Aaron and his friends were blown away. I could see it on their faces after—"

She was stopped mid-sentence as she felt his arms encircle her waist and his mouth latch onto her shoulder.

"Keep talking." Fitz growled as her kissed sloppily along her shoulder blade.

"Your, uh, aesthetics. The coloring differences through the time chang— _oh_ —were pheno…"

His hands spun her around as he kissed her naval. Olivia was breathless as she clawed at his bare back, watching the muscles ripple. He moved to her one of her breasts, sucking roughly on her nipple. He was reminding her just how much every single inch of her belonged to him—and how he had the ultimate control over her.

They sank to the floor, knowing the bed was feet too far away. Fitz's dick was hard and unmistakable against her hip as they were on their knees, clawing for each other's skin. He pulled her onto his lap, pressed his tip against her slit in a way that had her gasping. They locked eyes with nothing but love and insatiable lust behind them. Fitz's hands roughly wrapped around her hips as he pulled her down on him.

" _Shit_." Someone said as Olivia took control and began to ride him, faster and faster. She was biting his earlobe. He grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her head back and exposing her neck to him. She was becoming too much for him, with her titties bouncing against his chest. He slid two fingers down to stimulate her clit.

Her reactions were everything to him. He retrieved his soaked fingers from her pussy and offered them for her to suck. Then, he attacked her lips tasting wine and that taste that distinctly belonged to her. His arms were wrapped around the back of her and her arms were thrown over his shoulders. He began raising his hips to meet her frantic pace.

Olivia honestly couldn't tell where her first orgasm merged into her second as she lost all coherent thought. Fitz was passionately kissing her, biting her tongue and soothing it with his, making it hard to breathe. She felt his muscles tense up as he came inside of her, his hips bucking upwards.

They collapsed on the carpet, exhausted against each other. Olivia rested her head on his chest along with her weight. After a couple of minutes of content silence, she couldn't stop a giggle from escaping her lips.

"What?" Fitz mumbled, bringing a hand to trace along her spine.

"We are going to grow old together."

"Well, I sure hope so."

"I mean, we are physically going to grow old. I'll get grey hair. I can't imagine you getting a potbelly or anything, but who knows. Our knees will get achy."

"Your point?"

"We can't have this soul shattering sex when we are eighty."

"It might not be like what we witnessed just now, but I can assure you that we will be having sex and it will be soul shattering."

"Can't wait." She kissed his chest, filled with visions of them aging together, hand in hand.

* * *

 **I hoped my use of French in this chapter wasn't too confusing. I, myself, used the hell out of Google translate because I suck at all things foreign language.**

 **I'll see you guys next time. What do ya say we get these two hitched? Please share your thoughts on this chapter with me below!**


	39. Miracles

***sighs* I'm not even going to lie, the season finale knocked me off of my writing game. I can't even be mad, because shit was said that needed to be said. And it was delivered beautifully. But I won't go into all of that, because it's all so complex and I'm so conflicted over it. It took Coldplay's album leaking early for me to sit down in my feels and write this chapter.**

 **For those of you still on your Olitz grind (or still interested in this story) here is no. 39.**

Miracles—Coldplay

From up above I heard  
The angels sing to me these words  
And sometimes, in your eyes  
I see the beauty in the world

Oh, now I'm floating so high  
I blossom and die  
Send your storm and your lightning to strike  
Right between the eyes

* * *

"Good morning." Olivia rolled over to face him. His eyes were half open, as he stared at the sight of beautiful bed hair in front of him. Olivia brought a hand to his cheek as she leaned in to kiss him.

"Good morning, love." He mumbled against her lips. His hands circled her body as he deepened the kiss. He roamed her body, trying to find the opening to her pajamas. They had three days until their marriage, which meant they had gone four days without any sex. When they had been shooting on location, it had been manageable because they were a world apart. Now, that they were within close proximity at all times, it was driving both of them crazy. Sleeping naked wasn't an option anymore.

"Fitz…" Olivia smiled as he found his goal. His cool hands slipped up her back and down her shorts.

"Hmmm?" He kissed her, making it hard for her to respond.

"What are you doing?"

"Kissing my fiancé." He moved to her neck, leaving a trail along her collarbone.

"Is that all?"

"Mmhmm." His hand slid around from her ass to in between her thighs.

"FITZ." Olivia laughed as she pulled his hand out and rolled away from him. "You know the rules."

"It's not sex if I don't enter you…" He smiled goofily. "Come on." He rolled, halfway over her, trapping her in between his arms. "Let me pleasure you."

He kissed her softly, causing her to whimper softly. Her body truly ached for him. She had to take a deep breath to control herself. The way his morning hair was tousled and his biceps stretched out right in front of her almost made her give in.

"How about I go take a shower. Then in fifteen minutes, you go take a _very cold_ shower. Then, you are going to use these," She tapped his muscles lightly, "to help me move some final boxes over to the house."

"Before, you get out of this bed, I have something for you." Fitz hopped out and went over to pull a shoe box from his bag. "You requested a copy of every embarrassing photo of me as a child before our wedding day, so here they are. I want you to know what you are marrying into." He winked.

"So you give these to me at the last possible second, thinking there is no way I could back out now." Olivia joked as she took the box from him, finding a stack of pictures. Fitz climbed back into bed, laying on his side as Olivia sat up to look through the photos.

"That was the plan."

"Oh. My. God. Look at you in high school." She held up a picture of him in his football uniform after, what appeared to be a big win. Hs jersey was hiked up his abs and his hair almost reached his shoulders. He was very handsome in an adolescent type of way. "You even had your abs back then. Wow. You must have had all of the girls drawing your number on their cheeks."

Fitz tossed her a cheesy grin. "Yeah, well… I _was_ a Grant."

"What age were you when you lost your virginity?" Olivia asked, moving on to the next photo, one of him at his junior prom.

"Sixteen. You?"

"Same." She gave him a stern look. "But don't you dare tell my father that. I don't know if I'm too old for him to whoop my ass, but I don't want to find out now." She flipped through a couple more pictures. "These are weak. I wanted the real embarrassing ones."

"Keep going. I thought I would start off easy."

As Olivia worked her way through the stack, asking for the story behind each one. As she progressed, he got younger. She saw his awkward prepubescence. He was tall but lanky. Eventually, he got shorter, and he got more naked. Olivia laughed almost to the point of tears at the picture of Fitz at his third Halloween dressed in a cowboy outfit with boots swallowing each leg. He opened up a whole other portion of his life to her that she didn't know she was missing. He always entertained her with stories of being raised in the fast lane. Yet, there was something different in seeing with her own eyes that made the tales real.

"Wow, you were really full of it at the tender age of 9 months." Olivia laughed at last picture, a professional picture taken of a naked baby Fitz was looking over his shoulder. "Thank you for these."

"You are sure that you still want to marry me?"

"I still want to marry you. With genes like these, we could make some fine babies." She leaned over to kiss him. He pulled her into his arms and kissed that familiar flutter into her gut. "But I need to leave this bed right now if I want to keep our promise not to fuck a week before our wedding."

Fitz chuckled, releasing her to the shower. An hour later, they were loading boxes into Olivia's car to take to the house. Almost everything was finished and it was gorgeous. Small touches were being finished like security system tests. They unpacked the boxes, and took in their soon-to-be home. They had depleted their savings to build it, but put their homes on the market to replenish their bank accounts.

Fitz led Olivia up to the sunroom which was a completely stained glass dome. The morning sun from the East lit up the colors, making it breathtaking to look at her. They stood there, a few feet apart. It wasn't the first time they saw each other in this light, but it was the last time they would see each other in it before being married.

Fitz closed the distance between them. His hands took hers as he ran his thumbs over the backs of her hands. Olivia suddenly felt overcome with emotion. She felt so safe and loved and content. He had so much love for this man, she wasn't sure if she could ever express how much. No words were spoken. Olivia just bowed her head into his chest and let his arms wrap around her body. They stayed in their embrace for several short minutes.

Olivia's phone buzzed, causing her to withdraw and check it.

"I should be getting back." Olivia pocketed her phone. "I've got to pick up my father from the airport. Then Mellie and the girls are coming over to take me out for my bachelorette party." She blushed a little at the concept.

"No strip clubs." Fitz teased.

"I have _no_ power over what happens. Take that up with Mellie."

"If she lets some sweaty piece of meat dance over you, I will kill her."

"By the time you hear of it, we'll be man and wife and there is nothing you can do about it. And besides, Chase could be taking you to a strip club, and there is nothing I can do about it."

"But I wouldn't be enjoying myself." Fitz kissed her on the lips.

Chase and his groomsmen had a night for him planned as well. They opted to have their bachelorette/bachelor parties two days before their wedding, because nobody wanted to be hungover on their wedding day.

Olivia dropped Fitz off at his condo. He hopped out of the car and went over to her side. He leaned through the window to give her a lingering kiss.

"Goodbye, my Livvie. I can't wait until the next time I see you." He left with that, knowing the next time they would meet, she would be in white and he would be breathless.

Olivia picked Eli up from LAX. He was staying with her at her home for the wedding. After settling him in, they sat around in each other's company. Most of Olivia's furniture was either moved, sold, or donated, so her apartment was virtually empty. Olivia and Eli sat on the back patio on a couch she was leaving for whoever would make an offer on her home.

"I'm trying to find words to express how old I feel right now, and I'm at a loss." Eli chuckled as she poured him a glass of wine.

"It's hitting me too. I didn't think I would get married until I was at least thirty five."

A strange expression crossed his face. It was the slightest hint of getting choked up. It made Olivia a little uncomfortable. She was not used to any emotion—let alone sentimentality—from him.

"Stop. Right there. I won't have any of that."

"Sorry! This is all new to me. You are the only daughter I have to give away."

Olivia leaned back and took a sip of wine. "Did you have any last minute anxieties before you married mom?"

"I was anxious about the ceremony. Tripping or saying the wrong thing. Your mother flew in so many relatives, I thought I would forget their names or offend someone. But the actual union—your mother—I was just ready to call her mine."

"I feel weird about the lack of anxiety. I'm so calm. Marriage was never an undeniable end goal for me. It isn't something I ever really planned on. I used to be freaked out by the thought of it. I expected to be a wreck. To have all of those second thoughts you see in the movies. This all feels so right and that is what freaks me out."

"Marriage is tough. I know that it probably seems like your mother and I weren't married for long, but we were. Those eleven years were lovely, but it was the hard times that made it sweeter. You and Fitz will fight over trivial things and you will probably want to give up a couple times."

Olivia opened her mouth, but Eli silenced her by raising his hand.

"I know it might seem impossible that that could ever happen, but it will. Marriage takes a lot more effort than any relationship. Don't trust anyone who tells you it is a piece of cake."

"Are you trying to talk me out of this?" Olivia laughed nervously.

"Absolutely not. I couldn't find a better suitor for you. My biggest gripe with Fitz is that he is a little too quick to dismiss the Red Sox this year. I just want you to know the reality. You love Fitz. He loves you like a damn puppy dog. Your relationship is genuine, and I wish you the happiest union. I just want you to know that when things get rocky, it is normal. That is what marriage is for. To love and support one another no matter what."

Olivia nodded, shifting over to lean her head against his chest. "Tell me some stories about you and mom. Before I was in the picture."

She forgot how much her father loved to indulge in his own stories, as he told her of her of the beginning of his marriage. After a while, she had to go get ready for her night out. She had no idea what Mellie had in store for her. The only requirement was that she didn't have to wear one of those bride-to-be sashes.

A limousine rolled up to the front of her house. Mellie, Abbie, and her two other bridesmaids came to the front door to ring her doorbell.

"Why do I feel like it is when you were in high school and I am watching you go off to a party you shouldn't be at, knowing you are going to be doing things you shouldn't be doing."

"Except you are under _my_ roof and can't enforce a curfew." She smirked, remembering how many times she longed to say those words as a teenager. "Don't wait up."

She answered the door and was dragged out to the limo. Once safely inside the car, they passed out flutes of champagne.

"I would like to propose a toast." Mellie raised her glass and everyone else followed. "To the end of Liv's legal singlehood. May we all wake up tomorrow and not remember what happened tonight."

They clinked their glasses together and drank.

/

Olivia woke up, surprisingly, with no hangover. She checked her phone. It was nearly 10 in the morning. There was a message from Mellie.

 **Mellie:** Good morning! Let me know when you are up and ready to start your pre-marital pampering!

Olivia smiled. Since she was banned from seeing Fitz the day before her wedding, Mellie was in charge of a spa day and letting Olivia relax before the rest of her life. She texted her back that she would be ready in an hour.

She showered and put on an easy outfit of a tank top and leggings. She went to her kitchen to find her father with a mug of coffee, a bowl of popcorn, and the day's newspaper across his lap.

"Good morning."

"Good morning." He replied. "Please tell me you will be keeping your new kitchen stocked better than this." He motioned towards his breakfast.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"You got this from your mother. I had no part in your odd eating habits. Speaking of your new house, when will I get to see this _dream home_?"

"I can show it to you this afternoon."

"I would love that."

"What are your plans for today? I hate leaving you in an empty home all day."

"No, I understand. I actually have a former law student that I want to check up on. She was just appointed as the first female state judge, and I want to wish her well."

"Great! I'll see you later. We can get dinner and I'll show you my house."

"Have fun."

Olivia went to meet Mellie at the spa she texted her. When they were waiting for the first treatment, Olivia pulled her phone out to text Fitz.

 **Olivia:** Good morning, love.

 **Fitz:** Good morning, beautiful.

 **Olivia:** How was your second-to-last night being single? I told Chase to take it light on you. I don't want you getting any second thoughts.

 **Fitz:** Never. But it was epic. On a flight back from Vegas right now.

 **Olivia:** VEGAS?!

Olivia had to stop herself from snickering, but couldn't help the smile spreading across her face.

"Who are you texting?" Mellie asked.

"Hm? No one." Olivia lied.

"Yeah, right. You don't smile like that unless it's him. Hand it over."

"Fine." Olivia handed her phone over, good naturedly.

"Did you know that Fitz's bachelor party was going to be in Vegas?"

"Maybe…"

"Mellie!"

"You know I couldn't tell you! Don't worry. I got the itinerary form Chase, and you have nothing to worry about."

Their masseuses came out to begin their massages. Olivia knew that she was supposed to spend the day focusing on herself, but he couldn't help but think about Fitz the entire time. She was growing impatient for the wedding day. She wanted to feel his hands holding hers at the altar. She wanted his lips on hers as their first matrimonial kiss. She wanted to feel him inside of her as her husband, not fiancé. She had to stop her thoughts there as the skilled pair of hands kneaded her shoulders. She allowed herself to be pampered for a couple of hours with a mani pedi, facial, and waxing.

Afterwards, she said goodbye to Mellie, and Eli took her out to dinner. When they had finished their chic dinner, she drove him down to her new, completed home.

Olivia pulled up the driveway to her new home, beaming to herself at how the small mansion appeared before her. She showed him the house, feeling immense pride in what they had built. _They had built_. Together. As a team. The house held every tiny vision they shared for their lives together, and she couldn't be prouder to show it off to her father.

/

Mellie walked down the hallway dividing the groom's room and the bride's room. She had to see Fitz before the ceremony, and there were only minutes until Fitz would have to go to wait at the canopy with the officiant. She knocked on the door, until she was told to come in.

"I can't believe my baby brother is getting married before me." Mellie beamed as she saw Fitz in his tuxedo.

"I'm seven months older than you."

"Yeah, but you are three years younger in maturity." Mellie quipped as she hugged him. "God, this is weird."

"Tell me about it."

"I have a gift for you?"

"Yeah?" Fits raised his eyebrows.

"But you have to come with me."

He followed her into a room with a Chinese wall divider. He couldn't see what was on the other side, there was just an empty chair on this side.

"You both gave me something from one another to give to the other. Since you technically aren't _seeing_ one another, I thought you could open your gifts in front of each other." She handed Fitz a letter and Olivia a leather bound photo journal, before leaving to give them their privacy.

"Livvie?" Fitz asked, still unsure if she was even on the other side.

"I'm here." She spoke softly from just beyond the opaque paper.

"What are you wearing?"

"White." She giggled melodically.

"Well, who should go first?" He turned the enclosed envelope over in his hands.

"You."

Fitz opened the envelope with _Fitz_ written in her clear cursive. There was a small handful of sand enclosed with the letter, which scattered to the floor when he pulled the letter out. He began to read her words out to her.

 _Dear Love of my Life,_

 _You are probably wondering why you have sand all over your pants right now. Well, I am writing this on the beach that we came so close to having our first on. You know, the one that you took me to on the night I won my Oscar. The first time we were here (after_ _the first time_ _I beat your ass in our swimming race) we repeated the words 'we are in this together' to each other._

 _Today, we are legally going to be in this together. Til death do us part. Even though we have had our mountainous rises and falls, we have always been in it together. You have always been my champion. My best friend. My hero. As I'm sitting in the exact spot that I knew I was in deep for you, I am realizing that anything I write will not fully convey how I feel for you. I could marry you every day—have our honeymoon every night—and still not show you how much_ _I love you_ _._

 _Today, actually seems quite silly to me. I feel like I have been married to you for years. Maybe that is just how it is when you meet your soulmate (as corny as that word sounds as you read this). I will probably feel even more when you slip that ring on my finger, and I look forward to it. I look forward to you seeing me at the beginning of the aisle in this white dress. I look forward to the rest of my life with you._

 _I love you with every fiber of my being. Everything that makes me_ _me_ _is wrapped up in your existence._

 _Love,_

 _Your Livvie_

Fitz cleared his throat to choke back the emotion rising in his chest. "Livvie…"

"Can I open mine?" Her fingers tapped the edges of the album.

"Yes."

She laid the photo book on her lap and opened the cover. On the first page was a picture of her in Bali the morning he proposed. She was naked in the water, waist deep. The sunrise turned her into a silhouette. The photograph brought back a flood of nostalgia about the trip she surprised him with, but he turned it into the best surprise for her.

She turned the page to find a picture of her cooking on Thanksgivings day. She could tell from the picture that she had no idea what she was doing, and it made her smile through the forming tears of emotion.

The next one was one of her lying on her stomach in bed one random morning. The sheets were gathered at her waist and her head was buried in a pillow with her hair in all directions.

In one of the pages, she was getting her hair and makeup done for the commercial he filmed of her. She was mid-smile, engaging in a joke that one of the artist told her.

There was one of her in her ball gown at Cannes from behind. She was standing on the balcony of their hotel suite with a glass of wine in her hand.

Another one was one that he must have taken while they were entangled on the couch, watching a movie. She had fallen asleep against his chest.

One was of her on the beach outside of her home with her GRE prep books spread around her.

As she flipped each page, she found a photo she never knew was taken. Pictures taken ever since they reunited. Each one was taken without her knowledge. She could tell that they were all taken by his favorite little 35mm film camera. Little moments capturing the way he saw her. His thoughtfulness and perceptiveness spoke more than any words ever could.

She dabbed furiously at the corners of her eyes, determined not to ruin her wedding day makeup.

"Fitz…These are incredible. I never knew."

"You are so beautiful to me in ways that I can't ever show you. So I tried."

Olivia extended her hand to the paper wall, making it bulge a little bit. He met her hand and pushed back, letting her feel his energy.

"I guess I'll see you in a couple of minutes?"

"I guess so."

/

Fitz took a deep breath for the millionth time. His hands were sweaty and occasionally wiping across his tuxedo pants. He shifted his weight back and forth. Earning a nudge from Chase on his right.

"Chill." Chase mouthed in good nature.

Fitz tried. But soon the orchestra was swelling and the procession was beginning. He watched his groomsmen and Olivia's bridesmaids enter and take their place. Mellie tossed her tongue out at him as she passed him onto her spot. An adorable flower girl cascaded rose petals down the aisle, just like she had practiced a hundred times before. Fitz barely noticed, as his eyes were locked on the door of the chapel. It seemed like time had taken a backseat to anticipation.

Then they opened. His breath was stolen by the angel before him. He watched her as if his existence depended on it—because she was the reason he existed. Her dress was clean cut and elegant, just like her. Her makeup made her ethereal. Her hair was swept back in a romantic updo. When she turned to smile at her father, escorting her down the aisle, he noticed the tiny white flowers springing out of her hair.

When her eyes met his, her lips broke into a full smile. The most radiant smile that was entirely his fault. It seemed like they were the only people on the crowded lawn as she neared him slowly. The closer she got, the more details he noticed about her. The lilies in her intricate bouquet. The way her hand was gripping her father's arm causing his tuxedo to crinkle. The tiny gold _G_ hanging around her neck that he gave her months ago.

She stopped before the canopy enhanced with wild flowers.

"Welcome to this day of celebration, it's great to have all of you here to witness the union of Olivia Pope and Fitzgerald Grant as husband and wife. Together, we will share in the joys of their wedding, both with the outward celebration of this occasion and with an internal appreciation for the love that surrounds us. Who gives the bride away?"

"I do." Eli spoke, in one of the rare times he ever has had tears in his eyes. He kissed Olivia's cheek, releasing her to Fitz. Olivia passed her bouquet to Mellie before settling her hands in Fitz's.

"Olivia Pope, do you take Fitzgerald Grant to live together in the union of marriage? To take him as your best friend and partner in life? To honor, cherish, and love him, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all of your days?"

"I do."

Fitzgerald Grant, do you take Olivia Pope to live together in the union of marriage? To take her as your best friend and partner in life? To honor, cherish, and love her, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all of your days?"

"I do."

"You may exchange rings as a symbol of unending love and commitment."

I, Olivia Pope, give you Fitzgerald Grant this ring as a symbol of my love. As I place it on your finger, I commit the whole of my heart and soul to you. I promise to cherish you for the rest of my days. I give you all that I am, and accept all that you are."

Olivia put the ring on his eager left hand. It set against his skin like his finger was created to wear it.

"I, Fitzgerald Grant, give you Olivia Pope this ring as a symbol of my love. As I place it on your finger, I commit the whole of my heart and soul to you. I promise to cherish you for the rest of my days. I give you all that I am, and accept all that you are."

Fitz kissed her hand before sliding the band onto her left ring finger, next to her engagement ring.

"By the power invested in me by the state of California, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

His familiar smirk came on his face as he brought his hand to her face. His fingertips grazed her cheek, as his hand pulled her gently by the nape of her neck to him. She tilted her head back, holding eye contact with him. He felt her arms wrap around his back, pulling them against each other. Her warm breath tickled his face as he pressed his lips to hers. A whoop and cheer came out from the wedding guests. He could taste the glass of wine she must have had before walking down the aisle. His other hand went to her exposed back, rubbing a soft circle with his thumb.

It was perfect.

"Hi." He breathed as the broke the kiss.

"Hi." She whispered, smiling widely. A tear escaped falling down her left cheek, making her grin even harder. He wiped it away with his left hand—the one adorning his new piece of jewelry.

"I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald Grant."

* * *

 **Now that my schoolwork for this semester is 99.9% done, I should have the next chapter up soon. I hope this was a wedding (or half of one) deserving of Olitz.**


	40. Halo

**Sorry, guys. I really intended on this being up sooner. I had a couple of drafts being deleted due to computre problems, then I just didn't feel like letting this one go.** **I hope you enjoy the second half of the wedding.**

 **Oh, and to the handful of reviewers who were pretty livid in my review box about the season finale: chill, fam. It ain't that deep. I don't have control over it.**

Halo-Beyoncé

Hit me like a ray of sun  
Burning through my darkest night  
You're the only one that I want  
Think I'm addicted to your light  
I swore I'd never fall again  
But this don't even feel like falling  
Gravity can't forget to pull me back to the ground again

* * *

"Oh my God. Why hasn't anyone told me _they_ were here?"

"Who?"

" _Them!_ " Olivia pointed with her eyes to a couple with their small daughter.

Fitz followed her gaze and laughed. "You invited them."

"Yeah, but I didn't think that Beyoncé and Jay Z would actually show up. Let alone bring Blue Ivy with them." Her face dropped when she made eye contact with Fitz. "Oh my God. Our first dance."

"What about it?"

"It is a Beyoncé song! How awkward is that going to be? We should have used someone already dead like Ella Fitzgerald or someone _not invited to the wedding._ "

"If you want, I can go ask her if she wants to sing it a capella…" Fitz smirked as he began to walk away.

"FITZ." Olivia hissed, with a death grip on his arm, keeping him by her side.

"I'm kidding. It's fine. Relax. She will be touched that we chose the song." He kissed her briefly. "Just hold on to me the entire time, and everything will be fine."

"I plan to."

The next thing Olivia knew, the DJ was announcing the first dance. The piano came over the speakers, and Fitz bowed for Olivia's hand. He pulled her against him as the lyrics kicked in.

 _Remember those walls I built?  
Well, baby they're tumbling down  
And they didn't even put up a fight  
They didn't even make a sound_

They were twirling around the dancefloor, with just one another in mind. Fitz's hand was pressed against her bare back, giving her comfort she really needed.

 _Everywhere I'm looking now  
I'm surrounded by your embrace_

Fitz leaned down to kiss her forehead. Olivia rested her head against his chest as he slowed them down.

 _Baby, I can see your halo  
You know you're my saving grace_

Olivia looked up at him with vague tears in her eyes. "Do you remember last year's Oscars? When you pinched me and told me ' _no crying_ '?"

"Yeah."

"I need you to do it again, because I'm about to lose it."

He laughed as he spun her out and pulled her back.

"I love you." He murmured to her. "Every bit of your beautiful, tearful face."

Everything was right and perfect. He was her husband and she was his wife.

 _Baby, I can feel your halo  
Pray it won't fade away_

They were in sync without even thinking. Every step of his matched by hers as they spent their first dance as husband and wife—as an unbreakable entity.

The music faded, and they were left to a round of applause. They shared a kiss before Eli took to the floor.

"Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole was cued in as she took to step with her father. It was his turn to be the emotional one.

"Dad…" Olivia began. "It means so much that you are here to share this day with me. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"I am so undeserving of the daughter you are. I wish your mother was here. She would be so proud of you today."

"I wish that too."

"Can I ask you one thing? Even though I have no business asking this." Eli's demeanor shifted immensely. He looked uncomfortable for a second.

"What?"

"Please don't rush into anything with Fitz."

"What do you mean? I just married the guy. It is a little too late to tell me you don't approve." Olivia joked.

"I mean to enjoy things as they come. Take each era of your life with appreciation." Eli kissed her on the forehead as the song ended. "I'm proud of you, and happy for the rest of your life."

"Thanks, Dad." Olivia hugged him again as the rest of the guests joined the floor to dance for themselves.

/

After dinner was served and Olivia and Fitz did the ceremonious stufifng cake in each other's face, The party continued to dance and socialize. Olivia sipped a glass of wine off to the side with Chase. Since he was a member of the groom's party, she had not had enough one on one time with him.

"You make a beautiful bride. Everlasting love suits you well." He kissed her cheek. The tone of his voice let her know that he meant the words to the maximum degree.

"Thank you."

"This is a pretty good turn out." Chase nodded towards the full house of the elite of the world.

"I didn't think it would be that big of a deal." Olivia shrugged. "But I guess we have a lot of people rooting for us."

"I'm sure that this is poor taste to bring up on your wedding day, but I think I might propose to Mellie."

"Really?" Olivia gasped. "I didn't know you two were that serious."

"That's what worries me. I mean, we have been dating for six months. We work so well together, I just don't know if she wants it to go this fast. I don't want to burn a path by rushing it and ruin something great."

"That is about how long Fitz and I dated before we were engaged." Olivia smiled and patted his arm. "Love has no timeline. You have my approval."

"Thank you."

"How are you going to do it?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't really allowed myself to think that far."

"Well, keep me in the know. I don't want to find out on facebook." She joked.

The DJ put on an upbeat song that had certain nostalgia attached to it from their time in Atlanta on set. A bright smile lit up Chase's face. He extended his hand to her with a slight bow, "Now, you know I have to have this dance."

"Oh, absolutely." Olivia smiled as she took his hand and was led to the dancefloor.

"Hey, now." Fitz interrupted towards the end of their dance. "If I see your hand inch any further down my wife's back, I'm going to have to kick you out." He winked at Chase.

"Is it too soon to divorce this jerk?" Chase joked back as he left them to be.

"Hi."

"Hi."

Fitz kissed her on the lips softly, loving the new meaning of every kiss. "I just heard that this party was about to blow."

"Is that so?" Olivia laughed as he led her to the beat of the song.

"I just saw the Governor leave, and I'm pretty sure Chase and Mellie are about to sneak off to an electrical closet or something."

Olivia couldn't stop the unfiltered laughter from her lips. "So what do you suggest we do about it?"

"Well I know a nice little room on the other side of the world that quite literally has our name on it."

"Mmmm, well I wouldn't want to be the one to let it go to waste."

"I will alert the DJ of our escape." He kissed her hands before skipping over to the booth to let him announce that they were about to leave. They walked outside to a sea of rice and sparklers against the fading western sky. Fitz helped her into the back of the vintage Rolls Royce as they were driven up the California coast.

/

Fitz hesitated at the door of their suite with his hand on the key in lock. "Should I carry you across the threshold? Or do I actually have to wait until we are home?"

Olivia found herself smiling at the way he said _home_ long enough for him to sweep her off of her feet in a bridal carry. She was too focused on her new shift of gravity and his arms around her that she barely noticed him opening the door and carrying her across it. He set her down once inside the room and they looked at the honeymoon suite set up with candles and rose petals scattered across the bed. Olivia turned around to face him, bringing his head down to hers, and kissing him deeply.

"I'll be right back, love." She disappeared into the bathroom. Once she was safely away from his gaze, she leaned against the marble counter, taking a deep breath. _This is real._ She took a quick shower to wash the flight off of her. After, she dried off and pulled her wedding night lingerie out of her bag. She ran her fingers over the lace, hoping that when she put it on, it would smooth the butterflies out of her stomach. It wasn't like they hadn't committed every act they were going to do tonight—in every position—before. She was just anxious and excited and a bundle of emotions flying in every which way.

So she put her lingerie on. She spent a solid minute looking at herself in the mirror, building up the courage to go out to face her husband.

"Oh my god." Fitz whispered as she came out of the bathroom. He had his breath swiftly stolen from his lungs by an angel that he could only claim as his. He was immediately setting his scotch down and rising to her. His eyes hungrily drank in the way the white lace contrasted her rich skin. She was sheathed in sheer shite fabric with hand crafted lace flowers stitched across her body. He let his hands set on her hips, afraid to touch her too hard. He knew that tonight was not one to rush. He had to breathe every second in like a drug.

He pressed his forehead to hers, offering his lips for her to take. Her soft, plump lips brushed his, initiating the beginning. He softly sucked in her tongue as she went to unbutton his shirt. She broke the kiss to breathe as she focused on the buttons of his shirt. Her hands were trembling the slightest bit.

"You are nervous." Fitz said with a kiss to her brow.

Olivia smiled, "Isn't that strange? I guess I will never get used to my love for you."

Fitz shrugged his shirt off of his shoulders and let Olivia unbuckle his pants. He took her hand and led her to the bed. They were kneeling in a sea of rose petals as Fitz kissed along her shoulder blades. His body craved her pleasure and he knew that she was feeling the same. Yet, he took his time, claiming his wife with every kiss. He couldn't deny his heart pounding at the same rate hers was. His fingers found the fastens of her lingerie as he peeled the expensive lace off of her radiant skin. She was standing there on her knees in just her white thong. She had an excited smile edging on her lips as Fitz looked her up and down before laying her down on the bed and hovered over her.

She saw the ' _I love you_ ' in his eyes as he trailed his fingers down her side tenderly. His breath caught as she touched his lips with her fingers. She kissed his bottom lip, softly sucking it between her teeth. He moaned as his hand reached down to pull her thong down. She widened her legs to encourage his hands massaging her thighs.

He used his left ring finger to slide into her pussy. Her juices soaking his hand made his cock harden against her thigh. Olivia was biting his lip softly, her hands entangled in his hair. Olivia was panting from his hand as he began to trail down her body. He made a trail from the sensitive spot under her ear to the tiny gold _G_ still hanging around her neck.

Fitz kissed a symmetrical line down her torso, ignoring her sensitive breasts just waiting to be stimulated. He withdrew his wedding finger from her and held it up to her lips. She knew what to do as she tasted herself off of his wedding band. It only heightened her anticipation for what he was about to put her through.

He flattened his tongue against her slit and her back arched off of the bed. With each stroke of his tongue against her most sensitive parts, she felt her soul rise higher and higher. He hooked her legs over his shoulder and reached up to palm her breasts. Her loud moans and murmurs urged him on.

The low bass of his voice was vibrating against her, and it took her a moment to focus her scattered brain to what he was saying.

"I need to hear your name, Livvie. What is your name?" He made brief eye contact with her before inserting two fingers into her, almost sending her over the edge.

"Olivia. Pope. Grant." She whispered, breathless.

"Louder." He growled as he curled his fingers to her G spot inside of her.

"Olivia Pope GRANT." She called out as her orgasm washed over her like a wave.

He kissed back up to her lips, swallowing her cries of pleasure. "Olivia." _Kiss._ "Pope." _Kiss._ "Grant." _Kiss._ "I love you."

She opened her eyes to the sound of her new name. Her eyes were wet with tears as she pushed a strand of hair off of his forehead. Her eyes gave consent as he lined himself up with her. He filled her up completely, making her head go back and her mouth gasp for air. He kissed her jaw line exposed to him.

"Tell me when to move, babe."

"Move." She whispered as he began to stroke long into her. Her silky walls welcomed every inch of him as they hungrily devoured each other's lips. Fitz loved the way her brow crinkled in pleasured pain and her lips stayed parted as she raked her fingernails across his back.

Fitz shifted his position so that his hip gave her clit friction. He needed her release, because he was flirting dangerously with his own. His hand pulled her by her hair so that she was looking him directly in the eyes as her moans escalated to screams. He was soon to follow, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Fitz pulled out and rolled over so they were lying next to each other on their sides. Olivia's leg was still hiked up his waist.

"I love you. And I am so happy you agreed to be my wife."

"I'm glad you offered." Olivia smiled a content smile as she nudged herself even closer to him.

/

Olivia woke up, unable to move. She was trapped in the most secure embrace as Fitz spooned her with his arms clasped around her. His face was nestled in her hair as he breathed deeply in his sleep. She quickly realized that her efforts to remove herself quietly were futile. She pulled his arms open and began to roll out of his reach. He stirred, but didn't wake. She returned from the bathroom with to find him in the same position. She grabbed a rose petal off of the floor and tickled under his nose with it.

His face stirred as he woke up. Confusion gave way to his early morning smile.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Good morning."

Olivia let a soft giggle rip from her lips. She touched his lips.

"What?"

"I was just thinking about how we have this beautifully historic city at our feet, but all I want to do is lay in bed with you all day."

Fitz pulled her to where she was lying directly on top of him. "We could have gone to Idaho or some hellhole and still be happy." He kissed her lips softly and slowly. "I'm not sure if I've said this enough in the last couple of days, but I love you."

Olivia held her left hand up to the light so that her engagement ring and wedding ring sparkled. "I think I got the message."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, but I don't think I can will myself to get out of this bed or leave your arms."

"So we order room service."

"So we order room service."

They laid in bed, eating and talking all day, making love in the shower, making love on the floor, making love in the bed. They woke up from a late-afternoon nap and decided to dress up and go out for dinner.

Olivia wore a maroon velvet long sleeved dress that ended above her knees. She curled her hair and wore a dark lipstick. Fitz donned a suit with a chic skinny tie. As Olivia slipped into her high pumps, Fitz noticed that she hesitated, almost like she was in discomfort.

"What is wrong?"

Olivia shot him a sly look. "I'm sore."

"Sore?" Fitz smirked as he realized what she was referring to. The amount of sex they were having was enough to kill anyone who wasn't as athletic as Olivia.

"Remind me to take it easy tonight. I don't think I can lift my leg like I have been."

"What a nice problem to have." Fitz tried to stifle his laughter.

"Zip me up?" Olivia asked. Fitz obeyed, kissing her neck in the process. "Where are we going tonight?"

"There is a casino inland that isn't too touristy. We'll have to take a water taxi." Fitz ran his hands down her sides slowly. "But I don't think I want to share you with the rest of the city yet." He whispered into her ear, causing her to melt into him. He kissed below her ear. Her breath caught as her eyes closed.

"You make a very convincing argument, Mr. Grant."

"Thank you, Mrs. Grant."

Olivia reluctantly peeled herself from his presence. "But we are going out. And I am showing my husband off to the world."

/

"Bellissimo."

Olivia turned around to see a tall, dark Italian leaning up against the bar. He turned to the bartender, signaling him over there. "I'll have a Pinot Grigio. And for the lady…" He motioned over to Olivia.

"I'm fine." She lifted her half full glass of wine. "My husband will be joining me shortly." She positioned her hand on her glass so that her wedding ring showed.

"Americano?"

"Si."

He flashed a white smile as he took a few steps closer. "Marco." He extended his hand. Olivia looked at it skeptically, glancing to where Fitz disappeared to go to the bathroom. "Come on." He said in broken English. "I'm not going to harass. I come in peace. Not all Italian men are pigs."

Olivia placed her hand in his. "Olivia."

He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it. "I love your earrings. Can I ask where you got them from?"

"Grazie. I bought them from a market in Bali. I'm afraid I can't give you any more information."

"They bring out your beautiful eyes."

"Thank you." Olivia blushed and looked down at her glass of wine.

"What brings you to Italy?"

"My honeymoon." Olivia smiled as she saw Fitz approaching. He possessively wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing her on the temple, like he didn't see the man standing a few feet away. He signaled for a scotch from the bartender.

"Fitz, this is Marco. Marco, this is my husband Fitz."

"You are a lucky man." Marco said to Fitz.

When Fitz didn't respond, but with a nod. Olivia noticed the tension. "It was nice meeting you, Marco. Addio."

"I hope our paths cross again." Marco left, leaving them alone.

"Who was that?"

Olivia shrugged. "A local."

"He liked you."

Olivia shrugged. "He was sweet."

"He had his lips on your hand."

"That is a common way of greeting someone here. Quit being jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

"Then what is this?" Olivia raised an eyebrow.

"I'm wary."

"Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"To go."

Olivia shot him a _you have to be kidding me look_. "Really? We just finished dinner and you just ordered a drink."

Fitz downed the remainder of his drink. "Are you ready? Because I'm not going to hang around here. And you can drop that fighting attitude."

"I don't have an attitude. You are the one who wants to make a scene."

"Like I said, I am leaving. You are welcome to share the cab."

As much as Olivia wanted to hash it out with him right then and there, she watched him walk away. As he disappeared past the revolving doors, Olivia began to feel awkward. She was sitting alone at the bar with nothing to do. It is not like she was in the mood to gamble or do anything. She focused on finishing her wine. Through the rim of the glass, she saw Marco approaching.

"I am very sorry, I didn't mean to cause any drama."

"Don't worry about it." Olivia muttered as she realized that the casino was the last place she wanted to be. She put a tip on the counter for the bartender and left.

When she got back to the hotel, Fitz was sitting on the bed in his pajama pants reading a travel book about Venice. She made a beeline to the bathroom where she changed out of her dress and began her nightly routine. She returned to the bedroom to find Fitz lying on his side, waiting for her.

She laid down in between the sheets with her eyes trained on the ceiling above her.

"Liv, we aren't going to bed like this."

"Are you going to apologize?"

He sighed. "Olivia…"

She turned on her side to face him with fire on her tongue. "What. Do you have any explanation for why you embarrassed me and acted like a fucking child? Because I'm curious as to how your mind has twisted me conversing with a stranger as me cheating on you or some equivalent. I'm your fucking wife of 48 or so hours, Fitz."

"I have a right to be mad."

Olivia rolled her eyes and fell back onto her back. "You do realize that being a jealous asshole is something that should stop after I vow my life to yours? Especially unfounded jealousy."

"What do you expect me to do? Stand there and let some over sexed Italian openly flirt with my wife? I may have overreacted in your eyes, but that man had intentions other than standard conversation."

"He did not. But that is beside the point. You should _trust_ me and not expect me to become an antisocial nun just because men are attracted to me."

Fitz sighed as he realized that they would get nowhere until he apologized. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Olivia rolled back onto her side and put her hands on his chest. "I think we have established that we love each other too much to let this stupid jealousy thing get in the way.

Fitz couldn't help but smile at her last statement, even if there was frustration in her voice. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I was a little bit jealous, and that clouded my judgment."

Olivia curled into his body, burying her face in his chest. "I forgive you."

They laid there in silence for a couple minutes, until Olivia reached over to flip the light switch off. "On the bright side, I think we just survived our first fight as a married couple."

"It could have been worse."

"You are not wrong."

/

The next day they explored the city. They rented a boat to venture around the canals themselves.

"I didn't know you were a skilled sailor." Olivia giggled as he struggled to untie the boat from a dock.

"I'm not." He flashed a dazzling grin in her direction. "I'm just incredibly selfish and want you all to myself today. I don't want to have to worry about some handsy boat driver trying to cop a feel."

Olivia accepted his hand into the boat. "Oddly enough, I'm trusting you right now."

They got incredibly lost in the city, stopping at every shop that caught their eye. They stopped at countless bakeries, sampling the local delicacies. Eventually, the sun slipped lower and Olivia pulled her wide brimmed hat lower to block the sun from her eyes. She leaned back against Fitz's chest.

"You really have no idea where we are." Olivia looked around at the almost empty canals.

Fitz smiled. "The sun is setting in the west. We are traveling west. Either we hit the Grand Canal or we hit the ocean. We could probably find our way from there." He winked. "Being a Boy Scout pays off sometimes."

Olivia sank further into his arms. "For some reason, being lost in a foreign country with nothing but these shopping bags and you doesn't seem so bad."

"It wouldn't be so bad. You speak Italian, right?"

"No?" Olivia shot him a weird look. "When have I ever spoken Italian?"

"I thought you were multilinguistic."

"I am, but not in every language. I know enough to shop, but not enough to get us out of jail or anything."

"Well, let's hope that my Boy Scout skills don't fail us."

Olivia turned to kiss the side of his jaw. His arm tightened across her stomach.

They turned a corner to see the canal open up to the bay separating the mainland from the island. The sun turned the western horizon bright red. Fitz set the boat to coast as they drifted out into the sea. Any of the other boats were a good distance away, making the peaceful city seem like it was empty.

"This is so beautiful." Olivia whispered.

Fitz murmured an agreement as he pulled her hair to the side and kissed her neck. His hand smoothly went partially up her blouse, then down the edge of her skirt, resting against her lower abdomen. She leaned completely against his chest. He steered the boat towards their hotel, while the sun escaped behind the ancient architecture.

When they were back in the room, Fitz began to make them a snack in the kitchen.

"Look!" Olivia came in to the kitchen area with her laptop in stow. "They just sent me our wedding photos."

Fitz pulled her onto his lap as she set the computer on the counter. Olivia couldn't believe how well they turned out.

"This is my favorite." Fitz noted at the one that was a close up of Olivia in Fitz's arms. Only his chin was in the frame, as he was kissing Olivia's forehead. She was looking at the camera with a soft upwards curve of her lips. His left hand was resting on her shoulder, showcasing his wedding band.

"I like it too." Olivia clicked to the next one. She found her favorite one to be of where the photographers laid a satin sheet down on the grass and they laid on it in opposite directions, with their faces meeting. Olivia was on her stomach, with the dramatic back of her dress displayed. They were mid-kiss, but a joke Chase said off frame had Olivia in a full smile. Fitz still kissed her, and it was a perfect moment captured on film.

When they reached the end, they started back through the beginning, reliving each moment again.

"What are you thinking right now?" Fitz kissed Olivia's shoulder.

"Being married is so weird. I feel like I have been married to you for a long time, but now the world is just catching up to us. Like now it is finally real to them how crazy and hopelessly in love I am with you."

Fitz kissed her bottom lip, tasting her tongue. He would never tire of how soft she was or how receptive she always was to him. His hands rested comfortably underneath the fabric of her shirt against her skin.

It occurred to Olivia that she would be the happiest girl in the world to live her life like this: gentle, quiet moments where her heart was so full, she was sure it could burst at any second against her rib cage.

* * *

 **Okay, so unfortunately, this was the last chapter. The real adulty world is going to set in next year because I will be starting college, and I need to devote myself to my studies and what not.**

 **Allow me a paragraph to get a little sentimental:**

 **Thank you so much for giving your precious time to reading this story. I mean it. I have never written anything longer than like 10 pages before, so to know that some people would want to follow the story means the world to me (and to my ego, if we are being perfectly honest). I started this story with my goal being to reach 100k words, so right now, I am scratching my head, trying to figure how we got here. It is crazy. You could have spent your time reading a classic or learning how to do sign language. Thank you. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for your reviews and kindness.**

 **My final request is for you to** **let me know what you liked/disliked about my writing style or plot line. What made my fanfic unique or cliche? Let me know in your final review.**

 **Thank you for teaching me so much through this process. Have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2016!**


	41. EPILOGUE

**So a few reviewers requested an epilogue, and with so many generous reviews, I had to do it. This** _ **final**_ **final chapter is organized into vignettes. Enjoy!**

CANDLXS—Angel Haze

Drift off  
Meet after dark  
Leave what you love with a head full of art  
Run to the sun  
To wherever you are  
Swear to your moon with a cross on my heart  
Swallow my thoughts  
Let's get lost in the sparks  
Of whatever this is  
I'm devoted to you  
Babe, affection is risk  
But do you have my heart?  
It's a definite yes  
Starlight, the beauty  
The visage is bliss  
Your nature, your gloomy  
Perception is lit  
I can see you and me struggling beautifully  
Paint the whole scene with good head and good uh  
 _Can we dance forever?_

* * *

 **FOUR YEARS LATER**

Olivia sat with her legs crossed on the floor of the dome room of her house. Her shoulders had goose bumps, despite the mid-July sun beaming through the stained glass, projecting royal purples and blues onto her lap. She was light-headed from the events of her day.

Her morning started with a meeting with a casting director and producer. She auditioned for an intriguing role months ago, but the job went to someone else. She received an excited call from Anna late in the previous night, telling her to be at the studio early the next morning. The next thing she knew, they were offering her the lead in what was slated to be the biggest release of the next year. She felt nauseous at the fact that she had a matter of weeks to prepare and immerse herself in the culture of this new character, but she also felt an impenetrable excitement at the challenge. This was the type of challenge her Masters in Acting had prepared her for.

There was something else that made her nauseous. She was positive that it wasn't her breakfast, which consisted of fresh fruit in a to-go cup. Yet, halfway through her meeting, her stomach sank, and she felt the urge to vomit. Anna gave her that look that is sometimes tossed when a woman who has been married for a while gets mysteriously sick in the morning.

Now, Olivia was sitting with her legs crossed on the floor of the dome room in her house. A small slither of plastic was staring back at her. It was still blank. Waiting in the bathroom seemed too cliché and nerve wracking, so she walked up to the meditation room. With attempted deep breaths soothing her tense frame, she looked down one final time at the test.

Two pink lines made the world stop spinning for a minute as Olivia tried to remember how to breathe.

She was pregnant. There was a small human beneath her tummy. Not just any human, but one created entirely out of her love with her husband. A tiny, perfect, incredibly loved human. Her shaking fingers lifted the hem of her tank top and touched her nonexistent bulge.

"Olivia?"

She heard Fitz walk through the front door. It occurred to her that she must have been sitting there in silence for a couple of hours, by the position of the late sun. She listened in silence as his footsteps came closer and closer up the stairs.

"Liv?" He repeated as he found her in her quiet place. He always enjoyed finding her up here. The intricate stained glass always elevated her beauty to something ethereal. "How did it go? You never called."

"Fitz…" It occurred to Olivia that tears had long streamed down her cheeks.

"Oh." Fitz stopped, before walking over to her place and sitting next to her, facing her. He softly rubbed her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted this one."

"Fitz…"

"It is their loss—"

"Fitz, _look_."

Fitz's eyes darted to what she was referring to. "Olivia?" His voice cracked as his eyebrows raised. "Is it…You are…Oh my God." His eyes wildly darted from the test, to her, to her belly, to her. "You are pregnant."

"I'm pregnant."

"We are going to…" Fitz trailed off as he softly touched her stomach.

"Have a baby." Olivia's face broke into a translucent smile as she pulled his lips to hers. She needed to share this euphoria with him. Their lips clashed clumsily as they processed the news together.

"I can't believe it." Fitz whispered, resting his forehead against hers. His hand remained glued to her belly, ever gentle and careful. "We need to get you to the doctor this week."

Olivia just nodded as a fresh spring of tears rolled down her face. Fitz pulled her into a firm hug, where he kissed her hair repeatedly and whispered his love for her over and over.

 **A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER**

Fitz didn't bother looking at the clock. He knew it was late—or early—depending on how you viewed the night. Olivia had gotten hot during the night and kicked the covers down to her thighs. Her feet were tangled up in the sheets, and her tank top was dismissed somewhere on the floor, probably. Fitz took this time do adore her naked form in the dark. She was six weeks pregnant, but her belly barely showed. He was amazed by the physical changes that she would go through, spending hours on maternity websites, researching them.

He scooted down so that he was eye level with her belly. He flattened his hand across her stomach, careful not to wake her. He kissed her skin, right above the waistline of her panties. He felt her hands move to his hair and sleepily massage his scalp.

"Sorry." He whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Shhh." She whispered back, "I don't mind." It was moments like these that made her toes tingle with warmth. She was way too sleepy to fully open her eyes or move, so she just relished in the feeling of his love radiating to their child. They fell back asleep in that position.

/

"How are you feeling?" Fitz kissed her shoulder in passing in the bathroom. "Are you sure you can go to set this morning?"

"I'm fine." Olivia dismissed him.

He raised his eyebrows at her. One hour earlier, she had sprinted from the bed to the bathroom to dry heave into the toilet bowl. Fitz followed, as usual, with a damp rag and glass of water. Now, you would have never guessed, by how impeccably dressed and radiant she looked, pulling her hair into a high ponytail.

"Liv…"

"I don't need you hovering over me. I feel normal right now. I'm going to work."

"I just don't want you overworking yourself."

"Fitz, I don't want to have this conversation right now."

He sighed and leaned against the door frame, wishing that they would have the conversation again.

"Are you going to be home for dinner?" Olivia stopped in front of him, realizing he was blocking her exit.

"Yeah."

"I shouldn't be getting home until after eight, but I still want to eat with you." She leaned up on her tip toes to kiss his lips. He couldn't stay stoic any more, as he molded into her kiss, placing his hands lightly on her hips.

"I'll have dinner ready." He ran his hands softly along her sides.

"Don't. I'll grab takeout on the way home."

"I love you." He kissed her nose, causing a natural blush to extend along her cheeks.

"I love you."

/

"Do you want to talk about this morning?" Fitz asked, through a bite of udon noodles.

Olivia finished chewing, slowly, in no rush to answer. Her appetite wasn't the largest lately, but she was trying to get in the habit of eating a full meal three times a day.

"Okay."

Fitz raised an eyebrow. He would have to do all of the instigating. "I am not trying to smother you."

"I know."

"I just want you to be healthy."

"We established from the beginning, that I was going to do both the film and have the baby. I am not backing down on this. I can have a career and a family. It is not a one or the other situation."

"I am not asking you to give up your career, Liv. That is ridiculous. You know I would never ask that of you. I just don't think that this film is the best timing."

"This film is going to be the biggest role of my career. To pass this up would be the biggest professional mistake."

"I just don't want there to be consequences for you trying to do too much at once. Other roles will come."

"My work will be finished before my second trimester. We both heard the doctor clear me. I am not putting out baby at risk."

Their voices were calm and measured, but there were heavy emotions behind their words.

"I want you to trust me." Olivia set her chopsticks down and gave up on her sushi. "I know my body. I know what I am feeling, and I know how this new adjustment is affecting my body. When I say _I'm fine_ , I am fine. Hearing you worrying about me and hovering over me every morning making me regret my decision is only adding to my stress."

Fitz sighed, twirling some noodles around his fork. "So you would tell me if you weren't fine."

"I would tell you." She smiled, softly. "I won't overdo it. I love this little thing too much to put it in danger."

/

 **A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER**

"Oh my God, you are _HUGE_." Abbey squealed as she skipped Olivia's outstretched arms and went straight to putting her hands on Olivia's baby bump.

"Gee, thanks. What a way to greet after three months of being on the other side of the world."

"Sorry." Abbey looked up and hugged her lightly. "This is just such an adjustment."

"Imagine living it." Olivia laughed. "How was Shanghai?"

"Futuristic. Weird. Incredible. Everything you would probably expect me to say. But how is _this?_ " Abbey turned back to Olivia's bump.

"Draining. Incredible. Weird. Everything you would expect me to say." Olivia went to sit down at the chic brunch restaurant. They ordered their favorites, very familiar with the place.

"So what about the gender?" Abbey asked as a waiter poured their drinks. A mimosa for Abbey and an ice tea for Olivia. "Are you going to wait until the delivery?"

Olivia nodded as she took a refreshing sip. "We are going to wait it out. Neither of us are really concerned about it."

"Don't you have that maternal psychic instinct that whispers it in your spidey senses?"

"No." Olivia laughed out loud. "And I don't really care. I'm going to love it unconditionally either way."

"This is insane. I can't believe you are juggling all of the press for your movie on top of this."

Olivia shrugged. "I'm really blessed throughout it. I only do what I can, and Fitz is incredibly attuned to my needs. Not many people have the support and options I do."

"So what all pregnancy myths are true? Do you pee a little every time you sneeze?"

"No. But I might in the future." Olivia couldn't help but blush at Abbey's frankness.

"What about sex? I hear it only gets better."

"Abbey…" Olivia chuckled. "I am not going to answer that."

"You just did." She winked as she popped a strawberry into her mouth.

/

Fitz came home from a tiring day at his office. He spent a day distracted and procrastinating a pile of paperwork that needed to be filed. When he pulled into the driveway, he noticed that Olivia's car was there. She told him she might be home late after a day of shopping for nursery furniture. When he came in the front door, he noticed the lights were off and there was silence. No music or faint rustlings. _Maybe Abbey or Mellie took her_. He thought, absent mindedly.

He went to pour himself a scotch. He tried not to drink around Olivia, knowing how hard staying away from wine for nine months was killing her. As he brought the glass up to his lips, he heard sounds coming from the bedroom. After his initial panic, his mind registered the sounds. _Marvin Gaye_. A smile tugged at his lips.

 _So maybe she was home._

He followed his ears to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he was not prepared for the sight. His pregnant wife was sitting in the middle of their king size bed. Her legs were crossed, and she was waiting for him. Completely naked.

Fitz had to remind his mind how to form words. "So we are listening to records tonight?"

"Hopefully, that's not all we are doing." Olivia said with the subtle sexy smile she did best.

Fitz was immediately unbuttoning his shirt and removing his pants. By the time he reached her, he was in his boxers. She had crawled to the edge of the bed, her enlarged breasts causing him to subconsciously lick his lips.

His hands roamed her sides, trailing up to her breasts. Her pregnancy had made them incredibly sensitive so that the slightest touch had her throaty moan vibrating against his neck. Olivia sloppily bit and kissed along his neck up to his jaw. She was so incredibly needy at the moment, and she wanted him fast. Tongue swirled the inside of his mouth, and he felt her purr at the taste of scotch on his lips.

He gently pushed her back as Mr. Gaye's voice effectively set the ambiance. Her hands slid his boxers down as his full erection sprang forth. She felt it graze up her thigh as he followed her up the bed. Right when he settled over her, she flipped them over.

 _Oh, so she wants to be in control tonight._ Fitz thought as she grinded deliberately against him. It was his turn to moan as he grabbed the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her parted lips to his.

"How was work today, baby?" Olivia asked in her devastatingly sexy whisper.

"Now is not the time to be starting a conversation." He growled against her lips. He dug his fingers to her swollen clit, making her forget the words on the tip of her tongue. He wasn't sure what his favorite part of her pregnancy was: how breathtakingly sexy she looked bearing his child or how crazy her hormones were. He was making the most of both.

He pulled her tongue into his mouth as she fought for air. His fingers were doing a number on her. She had planned on taking the reins, but he was making it impossible by the sensations coursing from her core.

"Baby, let go." His deep bass was the final cord cut as he came on his hand. Her hands were firmly placed on his chest. He gave her a second to recover before she set out on her original mission. Fitz felt her hands greedily close around his member as she stroked him until he was about to come. He grabbed her hips with a look in his eyes that let her know that she better give them what they both were panting for.

She slid down on him, her arousal mixing with his precum. They both gasped and almost lost it as Olivia began to rock back and forth. She found her rhythm against him. It was a delicate balance between getting the rough release she craved and keeping herself comfortable.

Fitz reached up to palm her breasts gently. Olivia's cries of pleasure mingled with the sultry sounds of the vintage music. She was captivating. Pregnancy added a light plumpness to her features and made her radiate with joy. He could feel her get exhausted from her efforts, and he knew that she was close. His hands gripped her hips and his hips rose to meet her. She relinquished her body to the powerful orgasm. Her walls clamping around his dick sent Fitz behind.

He quickly jumped out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom—much to Olivia's annoyance. She wanted to be cuddled, and tried not to get pissed when she heard the water running. She was bone tired and rolled over to bury her face in the pillows. The next thing she knew, his capable hands were gently lifting her.

"Fitz? Where are y—" She didn't even bother hiding the annoyance from her voice.

"Shh." His deep bass vibrating from his Adam's apple. He lowered her into the warm bath water.

"Oh." Olivia blushed as she noticed the calming lavender candles lit and the bottles of bath products on the edge. Fitz climbed in behind her and situated her in between his legs. His hands automatically moved to caress her belly underwater.

"I love you, you know." Olivia turned her head so that she could see his face.

"I know." Fitz kissed her brow and grabbed a sponge off of the ledge.

 **FIVE YEARS LATER**

Olivia held the bundle of curls against her chest. Sophia, her daughter, was breathing heavy and deep, but she was awake—her long eyelashes occasionally grazing Olivia's pajama top. Fitz had been gone for two months in Austin, shooting a project. They hadn't seen him in an entire month, since the last time he could catch a break from shooting. Olivia worried about how the separation would affect their four year old, but she took it like a champ. The only concession was that she could sleep in Olivia's bed every night.

"Tell me about the day I was born." Her sweet voice pierced the silence. She was a very precocious child. They worried in the beginning that she was too quiet, but she was brilliant. Her mind grasped and observed things without feeling the need to say anything. Her maturity was beyond her years.

Olivia scratched her back in large circles. "Your Daddy and I were all dressed up for a party. I had this beautiful pink dress... The color of your nails..."

Sophia smiled as she held her wriggled her fingers that were painted a light peach.

"Daddy looked very handsome in a tuxedo. We had a shiny black car come to pick us up, but on the way there, you told me you were ready to come out of my belly, so we skipped the party and went to the hospital."

She was silent for a second, like she often was, absorbing the information. "How big was your belly?"

Olivia took her small hand in hers and raised it in the air above her stomach. "About this big."

Her daughters beautiful brown eyes widened as she looked up at Olivia. "And I was in there?"

"And you were in there."

"Oh." She said to herself as she looked at Olivia's stomach. "Can we go to the books once Daddy gets here?"

"It is called the library."

"The library." She corrected herself.

"Yes, once Daddy gets home he can take us."

As if on cue, they heard the front door open. He was supposed to be home before she woke up, but a flight delay left him getting in 2 hours later. Fitz walked up the stairs to find his two girls cuddling in bed. He dropped his bags just in time to have a flying torpedo crash into him and latch onto him like a monkey.

"Hi, Phia. I missed you."

"I missed you too. Mommy said we could go to the _library_." She said, excited at the new word.

"We can, once I get unpacked and give Mommy some kisses." He laughed at the way she crinkled her nose. "Why don't you go get the books to take back to the library and then we can get you a bath and ready to go." He set her on the floor as she sprinted off towards her room.

"Hi." Olivia said with a smile as she watched her devastatingly handsome husband approach her.

"Hi." He sat beside on the bed next to her and kissed her slowly. This was the hardest time spent away from them, and he showed her through that kiss. His tongue softly explored the insides of her mouth. He pulled her into a hug, squeezing her to his chest.

"I missed you so much." Emotion caught in her voice as his scent overwhelmed her.

"I know." He pressed his hands along her back. "I don't think I ever want to do that again."

Olivia pulled back to look at him. His eyes were tired and he felt tense. "After I give Sophia a bath, why don't we shower together? We can unpack tonight."

"Deal."

* * *

 **Okay, I'm actually done this time. Thank you for reading.**


End file.
